Under the bright sunlight at Tokyo Haneda International Airport, Yashida Shingen stepped out of a luxury Japanese sedan and bowed respectfully to Sean, who was preparing to board his flight...
He paid no mind to the shocked gaze of the driver behind him.
Having already learned the truth of Ichirō's death and the massive explosion near Yokohama through discreet channels, Shingen knew better than to act arrogantly.
The young man before him was not only intimately connected to the sole leader of the Hand, but had also emerged as the ultimate victor without lifting a finger. His methods and decisiveness inspired genuine fear.
As the eldest son of a prominent family, Shingen was astute enough to know the importance of making a good impression.
Not only did he humble himself, but he also came bearing a gift...
"This is my daughter, Mariko. She deeply admires Mr. Cyphers and hopes to serve by your side." Shingen said shamelessly.
Sean was slightly taken aback.
The Japanese truly had a way of shattering expectations when it came to moral flexibility. Not only had this man enlisted his help in killing his own father, Ichirō, but now he was offering his daughter as well.
"Please, Mr. Cyphers, you must accept this. It is the Yashida family's sincerity." Seeing Sean hesitate, Shingen quickly pressed on.
The family's rise depended entirely on the Hand's support, and securing Sean's goodwill was crucial. Moreover, handing Mariko over also served as a symbolic 'hostage', a guarantee of his unwavering loyalty.
"Then I thank you for your generosity." Sean shrugged.
When it came to sugar-coated bullets (temptations wrapped in flattery), he never minded having a few more. No matter what schemes Shingen might be harboring, the sheer disparity in power between them meant that an ant could never shake an elephant.
The two shook hands warmly, neither paying any attention to Mariko who stood there like a puppet. To her father, she was a bargaining chip... to Sean, she was barely worth a glance.
"I wish beautiful women would throw themselves at me like that…" Harry quipped from his seat.
His handsome face looked haggard, as if he were suffering from a hangover. He appeared groggy and utterly devoid of energy.
The young Osborn heir had been quietly kidnapped by HYDRA and kept in a drugged stupor. Viper had hoped to extract Umbrella's secrets from him while his mind was vulnerable.
She clearly hadn't anticipated that the rising star of Oscorp was completely hands-off when it came to management. Aside from attending board meetings and jet-setting around the world for business deals, Harry had no interest in the company's inner workings.
"I've got evidence of Harry Osborn getting drunk at a nightclub and passing out on the streets. If I show it to Darcy, you'll be sleeping on the couch for a month." Sean chuckled.
When Harry woke up, he was baffled by Sean's sudden appearance. Sean had spun him a tale about how the young Osborn had gotten wasted in Ginza, only to be robbed blind by hostesses and dumped on the street.
"There's no way I'd do something like that!" Harry was skeptical, "Ever since I started dating Darcy, I've been a reformed man, a model of self-restraint!"
"Harry, you know how it is. The longer you suppress it, the harder it explodes. As a fellow man, I get it." Sean patted his shoulder, cutting him off.
He paused, then added with a smirk, "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me."
Freeing himself from Harry's endless questions, Sean settled into his window seat. The plane ascended steadily, the city below shrinking into a miniature model.
This trip to Tokyo had yielded a substantial haul; Adamantium, multiple samples of the Progenitor Virus, and extensive research data...
Dr. Maya Hansen would undoubtedly be thrilled.
HYDRA's original intention hadn't been to create bioweapons. Viper's initial vision was a gene-enhancing serum. The zombies and Ghouls were just unintended byproducts of derailed experiments.
But in Sean's eyes, even those 'failed' research notes held immense value. Umbrella had gaps in its genetic engineering knowledge, and HYDRA's data could fill them.
Across from him, Izumi sat with her hood up, staring intently at the assortment of snacks laid out before her. Her brows furrowed, her eyes tense with apprehension.
"Bread…" She tore open a bag and took a cautious bite of soft toast.
"Chocolate…" Next came dark chocolate.
"Jelly…"
"Soda…"
One by one, she sampled the snacks, chewing carefully. The usual rancid, metallic taste was absent. She felt no nausea, and no urge to vomit.
"This is only temporary. I found data in HYDRA's lab about suppressing Ghoul cell activity. But to fully return to a normal human diet, you'll need a partial modification surgery." Sean leaned against the window, his tone lazy, "Be prepared to get dissected."
He took perverse pleasure in teasing the girl.
This Ghoul who willingly offered herself as Umbrella's test subject represented a breakthrough in genetic engineering. The mutated Progenitor Virus had preserved her cognitive functions while drastically enhancing her physical abilities.
If they could eliminate the bloodlust and cannibalistic urges, this could be the perfect evolutionary path. As a standalone research project, it would send Umbrella's scientists into a frenzy.
Sean closed his eyes. The plane's massive wings cut through the clouds, leaving rippling trails in their wake...
....
~S.H.I.E.L.D. Research Facility~
The highly classified steel structure echoed with evacuation alarms...
Four hours earlier, an energy surge had erupted from the underground lab, its readings climbing steadily. This immediately drew Nick Fury's attention.
The Tesseract was one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s most critical assets, he couldn't afford even the slightest mishap. He arrived at the base without delay.
"Dr. Selvig wasn't running any tests. He wasn't even in the room. The Tesseract activated on its own, and we can't shut it down." Agent Coulson reported dutifully.
Black-suited agents and scientists scrambled to pack up, preparing for evacuation.
Helicopters and transport vehicles came and went, ferrying out essential equipment and key personnel, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s most valuable assets...
"How long until full evacuation?" Fury asked grimly.
"Another thirty minutes, and the area will be clear." Coulson, ever the seasoned agent, had issued the alert the moment the Tesseract's anomaly was detected.
He knew the importance of preparing for the worst. If something went wrong with the Tesseract, at least the damage wouldn't be irreparable.
"Dr. Selvig, I need an explanation." The director's voice was sharp.
The vast underground chamber was nearly empty, save for Selvig and a handful of researchers desperately trying to stabilize the erratic Tesseract.
Bruce Banner, who had also been part of the research team, had been evacuated immediately. A man who turned into a green behemoth when angered was no less dangerous than a live nuke.
"The Tesseract's energy is highly volatile. Even after cutting the power, it's useless because it is the power source." Selvig explained.
Pipes and cables snaked toward a circular metallic device. At its center, the glowing blue cube pulsed with energy, emitting continuous waves of light...