**
Link said, "I didn't go to many places this time, but I gained a lot, even got my hands on the universal currency used in space."
"I've been working with Stark to establish an Avengers base in space, focusing on defense. This current situation provides us with a perfect excuse to do so."
Steve asked, "Do you know what's going on?"
"No idea!" Link shook his head, "But I know it's not simple. They deliberately prevented Bruce from going to the hospital and sent Coulson instead."
"Only the three of you were sent to the hospital, and that's suspicious. Then they asked you to go to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, clearly trying to divide the Avengers."
"They also sent Coulson away when Fury was being treated. Shouldn't Coulson have been the one guarding him?"
"That Secretary Pierce is up to something, and Fury must have done something significant. Although S.H.I.E.L.D.'s combat prowess is average, its reach is vast. Who could ambush him?"
"So, the issue lies within S.H.I.E.L.D."
Steve added, "Fury gave me a USB drive!"
He handed the USB to Link, since he hadn't returned to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters.
Link took a glance and said, "We'll check it once we're back at headquarters. They're here."
Link observed through the car window. Although he had chosen a less crowded route, now there wasn't a single person or car in sight. The road had clearly been blocked off in advance.
"Alfred, switch to manual driving." Link placed his carbine aside, grabbed the steering wheel, and stepped on the gas, accelerating again.
*Roar!* The engine thundered.
The car sped up instantly, and the others also sensed something was wrong.
"Sss…"
"RPG!" Natasha suddenly shouted, having spotted it. Link had already heard it.
From a corner about fifty meters behind the car, someone had fired an RPG. Link quickly swerved left, narrowly avoiding the rocket.
Perfect timing!
*Boom!* The rocket missed, exploding on the road to the left, not hindering their progress.
"Alfred, find a suitable spot for a fight." Link had no intention of fleeing. Their suits were bulletproof, and Link was ready to slaughter the enemy, knowing Hydra's forces must be behind the attack.
"New route set, sir," Alfred responded swiftly. Link veered left, causing the massive Suburban to drift as it entered another road.
He could hear the sound of many vehicles converging on them.
But thinking they could surround him was laughable. With his acute hearing and Alfred's assistance, he easily evaded their pursuers, heading for a predetermined location—a bankrupt, abandoned factory.
As the car barreled forward, at least fifteen vehicles pursued from behind, with even more trying to circle ahead.
*Duang!* They arrived at the factory. Link smashed through the gate, driving into the factory floor before finally coming to a halt. "Everyone, prepare for battle!"
"Got it!" Steve exited the car, his wristband expanding into a shield. With the shield in his left hand and a modified M1911 in his right, he was ready. Though not wielding his Vibranium shield, he was still formidable, especially with the abundance of cover in the factory.
Natasha wielded a Glock 26, small but perfect for her hands, with a decent ammo capacity.
Clint Barton didn't have his bow, but his nano-suit came equipped with a blade, and he had picked up an MP5 submachine gun.
Link, meanwhile, made his way to the roof, where he started scouting the area and feeding information to the team via his communicator.
There were many vehicles outside. Brock Rumlow exited his and began issuing orders. Link spotted him immediately.
"Rumlow is leading this. These people are from S.H.I.E.L.D. It seems my suspicion was right," Link noted. "There's an internal problem at S.H.I.E.L.D., but the exact details will have to wait until Fury wakes up."
"Fury?" Barton asked in surprise, "He's not dead?"
"Of course not. I don't believe for a second that he's dead, though he is gravely injured. Even if he were dead, it wouldn't be an issue. He helped take down the Hand before, and they had means of resurrection."
"The Hand?" Natasha blinked, surprised.
"Seems you guys didn't know. Well, Fury didn't turn over the Hand's assets to S.H.I.E.L.D., which means he's been holding back for a while. Also, Hill was pushing us to leave earlier—didn't that seem off?"
"She probably used some sort of drug with a time limit. Fury will reach out for our help soon enough."
"He must've uncovered something major; otherwise, he wouldn't have been attacked."
"Alright, they're moving in. I'm opening fire," Link declared.
The enemy had surrounded the factory, though the outer walls provided some protection. No one had yet entered through the main gate.
It was well known that Link was a sharpshooter, and they were wary of a frontal assault. The vehicles that had arrived were all SUVs. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s quick response team had armored vehicles, but they were slower and hadn't arrived yet.
*Bang, bang…* Link's rapid, precise shots rang out, taking down over a dozen men in quick succession.
*Ratatatatat…* The enemies fired back toward the roof, but Link's suit was bulletproof, and he wasn't fazed by their return fire. He shot back, undeterred.
They had to expose themselves to fire at him, while Link had the advantage of height and cover.
High ground versus low ground—an easy win!
Link showed no mercy, gunning down his foes one by one. After emptying a magazine, he swiftly swapped in a fresh one, continuing his onslaught.
*Bang, bang…*
"Cease fire!" Rumlow shouted in frustration. "Find cover and wait for the armored vehicles!"
The first wave of attackers had been decimated by Link alone, but he wasn't about to let up. The wristband on his right hand transformed into a hoverboard.
"I'm heading up. The three of you, focus on attacking the right side of the wall. I'll draw their attention," Link said before launching into action.
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(End of Chapter)