At the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, Alexander Pierce's anxious mood finally began to settle.
This was because the underwater gates near the headquarters had opened, and the four massive thrusters of three Helicarriers, capable of determining the fate of all humanity, were already igniting flames.
The three Helicarriers were slowly beginning to ascend.
"A perfect plan, what magnificent aerial fortresses!"
Standing solemnly before the floor-to-ceiling window, Alexander Pierce looked at the Helicarriers still beneath him and saluted them with Hydra's signature gesture.
"Hail Hydra!"
Meanwhile, Blake and Tony had just finished dealing with the fighter jets outside. Although Captain America was eager to uncover what had happened to Bucky, there was little time.
Agent Hill, who was still stationed outside, had reported that the Helicarriers had begun to ascend, and the Insight Initiative was officially launching.
Captain America had no choice but to temporarily lock Bucky in the base's holding cell and quickly gather the team to discuss how to stop the Insight Initiative.
"We don't have much time. Once the three Helicarriers reach their designated suborbital altitude, they will automatically connect with the satellite and use the so-called Zola Algorithm to lock onto anyone they deem a threat, then fire instantly!"
"The best solution is to replace their targeting chips with ours, so they won't be able to pinpoint their targets among billions of people!"
Nick Fury, who clearly had a backup plan, pulled out three chips as he spoke.
"No need for all that trouble. Let's stop them from taking off in the first place!"
Blake, having just taken out the fighter jets, walked in and said.
"How do we stop them? There are three of them, and if even one gets through, it could result in millions of deaths!"
Nick Fury said with a serious expression.
"Now you're getting nervous? We'll just ram them!"
Blake replied calmly.
"Ram them? With what? Your ridiculously slow sky base?"
Nick Fury asked the question everyone was thinking.
"You are a Good question!"
Blake snapped his fingers.
"Now, it's time to witness a miracle!"
Back at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, as the gates opened and the three Helicarriers rose into the sky, all the Hydra agents embedded in S.H.I.E.L.D. watched the colossal vessels with reverent eyes.
To others, this was mass slaughter.
But to Hydra, it was the realization of their dream.
Unfortunately for them, this dream was destined to shatter.
The immense size of the three Helicarriers made their ascent painfully slow. Just as they reached a height parallel to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s headquarters building, a swirling mass of blue-black energy suddenly appeared in the sky.
The energy resembled a living cloud, churning above the three Helicarriers.
A few seconds later, the blue-black energy burst apart, and an enormous portal opened in mid-air.
A massive shadow loomed over the Helicarriers. Emerging from the portal was the Avengers' sky base, which they had only ever seen in videos or pictures.
The gigantic base was enveloped in a faint blue energy shield, radiating an overwhelming presence.
The interior of the Avengers' sky base might not match the sheer size of a Helicarrier, but its rectangular rotor blades were undeniably longer than an entire Helicarrier.
As the three Helicarriers had just lifted off and hadn't yet separated, their ascent was directly blocked by the massive sky base.
Still far from reaching full speed, the Helicarriers silently collided with the Avengers' energy shield.
"Damn it! Smash that blasted base! Increase thrust—full power, ascend!"
Alexander Pierce's furious voice echoed through the control room below.
The blue energy of the shield flickered continuously, steadily neutralizing the upward force exerted by the colossal Helicarriers.
The points of contact between the Helicarriers and the energy shield began to crackle and disintegrate.
Faced with the enormous energy consumption, Blake remained calm, snapping his fingers casually before turning to Thor.
"Go, young man, for the glory of the Norse gods!"
"What?"
Thor tilted his head in confusion.
"Destroy those damn thrusters on the three Helicarriers below! Smash them with your hammer!"
Opening a portal, Blake gave Thor a forceful kick, sending him through.
The enormous portal in the sky slowly closed.
In Alexander Pierce's despairing gaze, a small portal suddenly opened mid-air, and a man clad in a red cape appeared, standing atop the middle Helicarrier.
With a casual toss of his hammer, the thrusters—crafted from advanced alloys and high-tech materials—crumbled like burning pieces of rotten wood in the face of the weapon.
Thor's hammer deftly darted between the four thrusters, obliterating them in moments.
The propulsion of the middle Helicarrier abruptly ceased, and it began plummeting straight downward.
It was over. Everything was ruined.
Alexander Pierce didn't even have the chance to curse before Nick Fury's voice rang out across every corner of the building.
"Alexander Pierce is a Hydra operative. This building is crawling with Hydra agents. I need everyone to remain calm, observe your coworkers carefully, and wait quietly while we sort out who's Hydra."
"I know you're probably—"
Before Fury could finish, another voice rudely interrupted.
"You all heard your director. Whether you're with Hydra or S.H.I.E.L.D., you're now surrounded by me. Surrendering peacefully is your best cooperation. If anyone tries to cause trouble, no matter your faction, I swear I'll lock you in a room with the Hulk."
"I'll repeat: no matter who you are—"
Blake, ignoring Nick Fury's murderous glare, reiterated his statement.
In the building, everyone who wasn't alone in a room—regardless of faction—instinctively placed a hand on their holstered weapons, eyeing their surroundings warily.
In Alexander Pierce's office, a flash of portal energy signaled the arrival of Blake and the others.
Without a word, Natasha headed straight to the computer and began her work.
"You want to lift the confidentiality protocols and expose all the data to the public? Sorry, after approving the Insight Initiative, those council members were all killed by me. Canceling the confidentiality protocols requires two A-level retinal scans for authorization. I seem to be the only one left alive... unless I forgot to revoke Nick's clearance."
Despite his despair, Alexander Pierce maintained the composure of a true villain, facing their threats with unyielding confidence.
"In this world, I'm not the only one who keeps a contingency plan at all times. If you want to keep an eye on me, you'll have to stay alert every second of every day."
Nick Fury removed his eyepatch, revealing a scar running across his left eye and a cloudy, lifeless eyeball beneath it.
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