The fire phoenix burned bright.
And Hydra burned with it.
On the ground, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents locked in combat froze in place, watching as their Hydra opponents vanished one by one, dragged into the phoenix's flames and reduced to ash.
Meanwhile—
The blaze only grew more brilliant.
In moments, both the fire phoenix and Hawk were gone.
Thud!
Hawk reappeared in the Triskelion's council chamber. He seized Alexander Pierce by the throat, lifted him effortlessly, then glanced toward Natasha.
"I've taken care of the hardest part. You don't need me for cleanup, do you?"
"Of course not," Natasha replied with a quick nod.
Hawk gave her a faint smile, then turned his icy gaze back on Pierce.
A heartbeat later—he vanished, taking Pierce with him.
At the same time—
Sharon's voice came over the comms, straining with suppressed excitement.
"Control secured! We have Helicarrier Two!"
"Number Three as well," Tony's voice cut in. "Jarvis, transfer authority."
Moments later, Sharon confirmed, her eyes lighting up. "Helicarrier Three online."
Three carriers in total.
Hawk had destroyed the first. That left only two.
As for the wreck—
"Helicarrier One crashed into the Potomac. Agent Thirty-Five is leading recovery."
"Copy."
Chatter filled the comms—S.H.I.E.L.D. agents exulting as Hydra's grip unraveled.
Overhead, a Quinjet descended onto the Triskelion's rooftop pad.
Out stepped Maria Hill in full tactical gear. She nodded to Tony as he landed beside her in his armor.
Tony's faceplate slid back. He glanced at Natasha. "Where's Hawk?"
"Just left." Natasha shrugged.
She then turned to Hill. "Director."
"Well done," Hill nodded, then produced a tablet. "By order of the World Security Council: effective immediately, I am promoted to Director of S.H.I.E.L.D."
The three council members already knew. They spared her only a glance before departing—they had their own capitals to brief.
Thor entered next, Mjolnir still crackling in his hand.
"Where is Hawk?"
"Just left," Natasha repeated, then paused, realizing she'd said it twice in quick succession.
Tony looked at Thor. "Jarvis is scanning, but his energy signature's gone."
Thor frowned. "Back to New York?"
Natasha shook her head. "No."
Commander Hand and her team were still at Palm Street, waiting for Hawk's return before leaving.
So where was he?
He hadn't left Washington at all.
In fact, Hawk was already elsewhere—dragging Alexander Pierce with him.
Thud!
Pierce hit the floor of his private hideout, a secluded villa buried in the trees of Rock Creek Park. He coughed, clutching his throat, struggling for breath.
Hawk swept the villa with his sixth sense, then slid his hands into his pockets, watching the broken man before him.
Pierce's once-proud face looked ancient now. Defeated.
Utterly defeated.
And yet… he forced himself upright, drawing one last breath of pride.
"If I told you I never meant to move against you… would you believe me?"
Hawk let out a soft laugh. Then his smile vanished, his gaze sharp as a knife.
"I believe you. But it doesn't matter. Fact is, you did. I thought you were the clever one, Pierce. I never cared whether Hydra ruled the Earth or not."
He meant it.
Of all Hydra, he had always thought Pierce the shrewdest.
After all, Anna had been Pierce's subordinate. And Hawk's bond with her had been genuine.
If Pierce hadn't allowed it, Hawk and Anna would never have crossed paths.
That was why he hadn't suspected Pierce of lying back in Wakanda. It didn't fit his character.
Unless… unless Pierce had decided the cost of deceiving Hawk was lower than the cost of telling him the truth.
Hawk's mind turned to Anna. His eyes narrowed.
"Where is Anna?"
"Dead."
Pierce gave a bitter smile.
Hawk chuckled softly. "Anna's not dead. And you know how I'm certain?"
Pierce met his gaze but said nothing.
Hawk didn't bother to explain.
"Anna isn't dead. Which means she's either imprisoned… or close to death. And you'd rather I believe she's gone than show me the truth."
His eyes hardened.
"You're hiding something, Pierce. Why?"
"I wondered about it before coming here. But now? I don't even care. It's not worth thinking about."
His voice dropped, cold.
"So here it is. Your last chance. For Anna's sake, either tell me now… or never tell me at all."
Hawk wasn't bluffing. He truly wanted to know why Pierce—supposedly Hydra's sharpest mind—had made such a suicidal choice.
But if Pierce refused? Then Hawk wouldn't waste another word.
"I don't play riddles. Not with gnats." Hawk's tone was ice. "So choose, Pierce."
A faint smile twisted Pierce's lips. "If I stay silent, maybe you'll grant me some dignity. But if I tell you, I doubt I'd even have that much."
Zola's cloning project was one thing.
But Strucker's work in Sokovia… that girl…
No. He couldn't.
Not because he didn't want to—but because Hydra's creed was carved into him.
Cut off one head, two more shall take its place.
Even if he died here, there would be others. Zola's contingencies. Strucker's plans.
Hydra's third rising would come.
So Pierce lifted his head. The weakness vanished. His eyes blazed with fanatic light.
His right hand rose at an angle.
"Hail Hydra!"
Hydra forever.
Hawk stared at him—mad, fervent, like John Garrett before him. No fear of death, only a twisted devotion.
And Hawk laughed.
"Fine."
"You want death?"
"I'll give you something worse."
"You'll learn what it means to beg for death."
His smile widened.
His eyes flared crimson.
Boom!
…
(End of Chapter)
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