You've kept yourself in good shape, Nathan, though you look like you've lost some weight. Seems factory work is even tougher than life as an agent." Holm's voice was calm but cutting as he watched Nathan Landis, whose face was twisted with shock, one hand hovering over his watch.
"I've already taken care of the bomb," Holm added casually, "so you don't have to keep up the clueless act."
Nathan Landis eyed him warily, his hand still hovering over the watch. He had no reason to trust Holm's words.
"You should be dead." Landis's gaze was sharp and unwavering, trying to see if Holm's face was just a disguise.
"You said it yourself, death doesn't always come when it's due," Holm replied, pulling over a nearby stool and sitting down, exuding an unsettling ease. "If everyone who was supposed to die actually did, the world would've been at peace long ago." He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Especially people like you and me."
Landis didn't respond, but Holm pressed on. "Enough with the philosophy. Let's cut to the chase." Holm's tone turned darker. "Nathan, you know why I'm here. Hand over what I need, and I'll make sure your end is painless."
Holm looked completely at ease in the chair, almost like he owned the place. His calm demeanor clashed starkly with Landis's tension.
But Landis remained silent. His finger pressed firmly against the button on his watch.
Yet, instead of the explosive sound he'd expected, there was only silence. After a few seconds, his face paled, and he slumped to the floor, his eyes filled with a growing sense of despair.
"I just… I just want to live," he murmured, his voice low and pleading.
Holm's tone mirrored his desperation, yet remained steely. "And I just want to survive." Holm leaned forward. "Hand over what I'm asking for. You'll have to talk eventually; we both know no one can withstand… certain techniques." He gave a cruel smile. "So let's make this easy for both of us. Saves me time; saves you the pain."
But Nathan Landis clenched his jaw, refusing to speak. He seemed to finally accept his fate, hanging his head as he muttered, "I hope you'll keep your promise." With a defeated sigh, he reached for a hidden compartment on the floor near Holm and lifted a loose board.
First, he pulled out a folder. Then, as he reached for something else, he quickly twisted his wrist and pointed a gun barrel at Holm.
"Click! Click! Click!" He pulled the trigger multiple times, but no shots were fired. Just the hollow sound of the empty gun chamber echoed in the room.
Landis's face went from pale to ashen.
"Really? Didn't it feel different when you picked it up?" Holm taunted, amusement clear on his face. "The weight alone should've given it away. But I guess you're too nervous to think straight."
Holm's smile turned cold. "Now, don't test my patience any further." From his pocket, Holm pulled out a vial and a syringe, letting them dangle ominously in front of Landis. "It's simple. You talk, or I use this." Holm's eyes darkened. "Your choice."
Landis gave a weak smile. "Even if I tell you… you'll still use it. Don't forget, I'm an agent, too," he whispered.
He looked Holm straight in the eyes, his gaze a mixture of bitterness and nostalgia. "I knew you once," he said, his voice tinged with regret. "I just never expected you'd turn out to be Hydra."
Landis gave a bitter laugh. "Maybe even the director doesn't know if SHIELD is his anymore, or Hydra's."
Holm's brow furrowed at the comment. Hydra? he thought to himself. So… he's not Hydra after all? Holm had been led to believe Nathan Landis was a Hydra traitor, which was why Grant Ward had sent him here.
But now? This was no double agent. This was an actual SHIELD operative.
Landis watched Holm's realization dawn and chuckled. "You didn't know?" His laughter grew louder, edged with hysteria. "You thought I was one of you? Ha! I guess Grant Ward really did play his cards well."
Landis leaned back against a broken cabinet, still chuckling. "You know what? I'm going to die either way. Might as well tell you the whole story."
Holm sat quietly, not interrupting, his expression a stony mask.
As he explained, Landis recounted the path that had led him here. He was, as Holm suspected, a loyal SHIELD agent with no ties to Hydra.
Years back, Landis had been a struggling agent, much like Holm in his early days. He'd wanted to climb the ranks, to prove himself, but his abilities were merely average. His task performance wasn't remarkable, so despite his efforts, he remained stuck in mediocrity.
But then he stumbled upon a dangerous secret. He discovered that his colleague, Grant Ward, was actually an undercover Hydra agent.
At first, Landis planned to report Ward immediately. It would be a career-defining move, surely boosting his standing in SHIELD. But the longer he thought about it, the bolder his plan became.
He confronted Ward, revealing he knew about Ward's Hydra allegiance, and threatened to expose him unless they reached an arrangement. Ward, finding himself cornered, agreed to work together. Having his cover blown would've been catastrophic, but cultivating an informant within SHIELD was a tremendous opportunity.
So, from that moment on, Landis and Ward forged an uneasy alliance. They helped each other advance, each covering for the other's weaknesses to make themselves look better to their superiors.
Over the years, the arrangement paid off. Both of them rose through the ranks, achieving the career success they'd once dreamed of.
But Ward's talents far exceeded Landis's, and he climbed the ladder faster. Landis, however, refused to admit Ward's skills were superior. In his eyes, Ward was purposely holding him back to maintain his own edge. Bitterness festered, and he began making more demanding and unreasonable requests of Ward.
Eventually, Ward grew weary of Landis's incompetence and constant demands. Landis, once useful, had become a liability—an annoyance Ward could no longer tolerate.
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