"Building a Mars settlement flying the flag of England?"
The moment those words left William's mouth, the entire London Space Center went silent for a moment, as if time had paused. Then, excitement erupted like wildfire. Engineers, scientists, and staff began cheering, calling for the main flag to be England's while the Devonshire family crest could serve as a secondary banner.
Once William approved this, the news spread rapidly. The announcement of a Mars colonization effort reignited the British public's pride in their imperial legacy. Images of citizens waving the Devonshire stag-head flag in Oxfordshire and other towns quickly made headlines. In some areas, the excitement grew so intense that people organized parades.
Fans of the Chelsea Football Club in particular showed their support by hoisting both the team's flag and the Devonshire family flag outside their homes as a tribute to William.
Meanwhile, Alexander Pierce, en route to retrieve the Tesseract, saw the news on his tablet. The idea of Mars colonization swept away any remaining hesitation in his mind. He began thinking not just about using William but about the long-term potential of the colony itself.
If Hydra could infiltrate and control the Mars settlement, it could become a secret base for their operations—beyond the reach of Earth's governments. Such an outcome would be an unparalleled advantage. With that thought solidified, Pierce concluded that keeping William alive and engaged was in Hydra's best interest.
After securing the Tesseract, Pierce opted not to travel to London, choosing instead to return to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters by helicopter. Upon arrival, he locked the Tesseract inside a hidden vault in his office. Once the artifact was secure, he picked up the phone and called the Devonshire estate in Kensington.
The call took time as Pierce had to convince Lena Devonshire of his identity and intentions. After hanging up, he hadn't expected a quick response. Yet less than five minutes later, his office phone rang.
"Alexander Pierce," William's voice came through cold and sharp. "Are you seriously trying to sell me on this 'super-energy' nonsense you told my mother?"
The lack of pleasantries made it clear that William had no interest in playing diplomatic games. Pierce immediately recognized that any further explanations would likely worsen the situation. He decided to cut straight to business.
"We can help you return to Earth faster. In exchange, we want access to your ship's technology," Pierce proposed.
"Ha!" William scoffed. "Are you delirious, or is dementia finally setting in, old man? You think I'm on the brink of collapse and desperate for help? I've been broadcasting my situation to billions of viewers. This is all part of a marketing stunt to boost Facebook's value."
Pierce wasn't fazed by the ridicule. "You're not worried that the longer you delay, the harder it'll be for you to get back home?"
"I'm not worried at all," William replied nonchalantly. "The ship being built in England will be ready in a few days. After testing, it'll launch, and I'll be back in London in about a month. Even if something goes wrong and the ship is destroyed, I can fund the construction of five more at the same time.
"If England can't build a ship properly after three tries, I'll just emigrate to the East. With my technical knowledge, I could hand over the designs, and with my half-Chinese heritage, they'd mobilize everything to get a ship done in record time."
William's tone shifted as he continued. "Let's be honest, Pierce. You think you're going to strong-arm me? I'm sure you already suspect that I have backup plans. If you'd waited a day or two longer to contact me, the supply ship might've already left Earth."
"So you really are building ships in secret," Pierce muttered, feeling a dull ache in his temples.
If there was one thing everyone watching William hated to hear, it was confirmation that he had backup ships ready to go. Pierce had bet on the hope that William's situation was more precarious than it appeared, but now that hope was fading fast.
"If the ship is already finished," Pierce pressed, "why are you wasting time with tests? Shouldn't you be rushing to leave Mars?"
"Wow, you are showing signs of senility," William mocked. "Do you think anyone would risk launching an untested ship into space? You're smarter than that, Pierce."
Pierce scowled, realizing William had been using the narrative of 'charging the ship' to divert attention from his true operations. He had hidden the location of his secret shipyards so well that neither Hydra nor S.H.I.E.L.D. had been able to trace them despite months of investigation.
Growing impatient, Pierce demanded, "Prove it. Let me see your ship."
"Why the hell would I do that?" William replied with a smirk. "You can just wait a month and see me in person at my London press conference."
"Mr. Devonshire, let's not waste each other's time," Pierce countered. "We both know you're deeply interested in energy research. Otherwise, you would've hung up by now instead of entertaining this conversation."
William chuckled. Pierce had hit the mark. The Tesseract's potential was too enticing to ignore, even for him. But that didn't mean William would give away everything for free. If he could acquire the Tesseract without sacrificing any crucial assets, all the better.
"I don't mind showing you a ship," William finally said, his voice calm and calculating. "But understand this, Pierce—this is going to be my deal, not yours. Don't expect me to hand over valuable technology for nothing."
Privately, William was already making plans. He had no intention of sharing his most advanced designs. The ship he would show Pierce would be a stripped-down model: no advanced energy core, no space-jump capabilities, and only basic AI functionality.
To Pierce, it might seem like a technological marvel. But William knew that Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D. wouldn't realize they were getting the equivalent of a junker until much later.
Pierce hesitated for a moment, but ultimately relented. "Alright. Let's arrange a demonstration."
"Good. Expect something soon, Mr. Pierce," William said with a grin. "It won't take long."
(End of Chapter)
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