~S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters, Conference Room~
Alexander Pierce drummed his fingers on the table...
It was difficult to imagine that this former Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s true identity was actually a high-ranking member of HYDRA.
He had once been Nick Fury's superior, personally promoting him to the position of Director. Moreover, he himself had served as an important leader in national security departments, frequently visiting the White House, and was currently employed as an advisor to the World Security Council.
Beneath this glittering array of credentials and honors, he was actually a senior HYDRA operative... an undeniably exquisite irony.
"Has the Winter Soldier completed his mission?" He put on a miniature earpiece and contacted through an encrypted channel.
Previously, due to strong demands from the World Security Council, Nick Fury had been forced to open partial access to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s database, causing Project Insight to surface.
This put Alexander Pierce on high alert. If Nick Fury truly succeeded in this endeavor, achieving global-scale monitoring and tracking, HYDRA would have nowhere left to hide.
Therefore, he decided to strike first and eliminate the troublesome one-eyed Director. With S.H.I.E.L.D. left leaderless, given his own prestige and capabilities, Pierce would undoubtedly take over the position.
<...Mission failed. The Winter Soldier has disappeared...>
A voice came through the earpiece.
The Winter Soldier who had captured Nick Fury suddenly vanished without a trace. The signal from the subcutaneous tracking device implanted in him had also disappeared.
This left HYDRA completely baffled...
For many years, this brainwashed killing machine had never made a single mistake.
"Useless!" Pierce slammed the table forcefully, revealing rare anger, "The Winter Soldier isn't important! Nick Fury is the key! We must find him at all costs!"
Losing a super soldier didn't matter. HYDRA could always manufacture more. But that one-eyed Director who was captured with such difficulty was an exceptionally valuable bargaining chip.
He possessed vast amounts of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s core secrets, and held incomparable strategic value.
Pierce knew Fury was extremely vigilant and paranoid by nature, never fully trusting anyone completely... not even close aides like Agent Coulson or Maria Hill would receive his full confidence.
That was precisely why he hadn't killed the man immediately. He wanted to pry more secrets from Fury's mouth. When it came to torture and brainwashing, those were undoubtedly HYDRA's specialties.
<...Before being captured, Nick Fury sent an encrypted message to Steve Rogers...>
A second piece of bad news arrived in quick succession.
Pierce's expression turned grave...
Captain America was HYDRA's old nemesis. Red Skull had lost to him back then, nearly causing the entire organization to be wiped out.
Later, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s predecessor, the Strategic Scientific Reserve, initiated 'Operation Paperclip', recruiting a number of German scientists as spoils of war to absorb their knowledge. This simultaneously gave HYDRA a golden opportunity to revive itself.
"Bring Captain Rogers to me." Pierce removed his earpiece.
Now that the plan had encountered unexpected developments, he needed to respond accordingly...
...
Twenty minutes later, Captain America in his star-spangled uniform arrived at the conference room, where Pierce waited alone in the spacious room...
"I'm Alexander Pierce. It's a pleasure to meet you. My father served in the 101st Airborne Division, and he often told me stories of your heroic deeds." Pierce adjusted his glasses.
As a senior agent, he was highly skilled in various psychological tactics. When dealing with the famous Captain America, he obviously couldn't resort to crude methods like coercion or threats.
"This photo was taken five years after I met Nick. At the time, I was at the State Department in Colombia when local revolutionary forces occupied the embassy. The guards helped me escape, but the rebels took hostages. Nick was in charge of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s overseas security operations, and he proposed a plan to storm through the sewers to rescue the trapped government officials."
Pierce continued speaking nostalgically, a faint reminiscent expression on his face as if immersed in memories of the past.
Steve looked at the photo without speaking. He had never been good at conversation, so he simply listened quietly.
"...I vetoed that operation plan, saying the rebels would eventually come to the negotiating table. Unexpectedly, the rebels ordered that everyone be killed without exception. When they swept through the basement, they found it completely empty... Nick had disobeyed my direct orders. He acted on his own initiative, completed the mission, and rescued over a dozen government officials in one go... including my daughter."
"...Captain, I've never regretted promoting Nick and bringing him to the Director's position. In fact, he truly performed better than I ever could have."
Pierce stared fixedly at Captain America, his expression solemn as he said: "I want to know the actual content of that message."
This sudden statement caused Steve's eyes to flicker momentarily. He wasn't good at lying, and couldn't possibly deceive a senior agent.
But remembering the warning in Nick Fury's message, he chose to remain silent.
This wasn't to say that Steve distrusted Alexander Pierce. This bespectacled middle-aged man had an impeccable and glorious resume that left no room for doubt.
But Steve didn't consider himself a smart man. He only knew how to conscientiously carry out missions assigned to him, just like seventy years ago on the battlefield.
"You might not know this, but Nick had your apartment bugged. Even your female neighbor next door was a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent."
Pierce attempted to break down Captain America's psychological defenses, but it didn't seem effective. Steve's expression remained calm, showing no signs of anger whatsoever.
"Sir, the current situation is extremely urgent. I still need to hurry and investigate that assassin." Captain America stood up, preparing to leave.
"My position on the Council wasn't my personal choice, but something Nick actively requested, because we're both realists. We both understand that beyond diplomatic tactics and false pretenses, to build a better new world sometimes requires destroying the old one... and that inevitably makes enemies."
Pierce remained seated without moving, his fingers tapping the table, producing dull 'thud' sounds.
"People will call you shameless and dirty because you're willing to do underhanded things just to create the better world you envision." His tone turned cold, "Captain, before disappearing, Nick contacted only you. He trusted you."
"...And I hope you can extend some trust in return. Perhaps this could help S.H.I.E.L.D. find new leads. So I'll ask one final time... What did Nick tell you?"
"He told me not to trust anyone." Steve replied.
A trace of astonishment flashed across Pierce's face before he quickly regained his composure.
He remained seated, removing his glasses to wipe away nonexistent dust, "I must uncover the truth. Anyone standing in my way will regret it. No matter who they are!"
"Excuse me."
Watching Captain America push open the door and leave, this high-ranking HYDRA operative picked up the phone on his desk and said coldly: "Arrest Captain Rogers."
With the Winter Soldier missing, Nick Fury's whereabouts unknown, and continuous unexpected incidents occurring, he couldn't afford any more complications.
He needed to take control of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s internal situation swiftly...