New York, Times Square.
Pierce led his agents, escorting several captured prisoners here.
He intended to hold a public execution.
At this moment, all the giant screen advertisements in Times Square were broadcasting this grand spectacle. Not only that, but all television stations were under his control. There were no other programs today, only this live broadcast!
Pierce had already received the news: the aircraft carrier was fully refitted and could be activated at any time.
The completion of the carrier's refit was the best possible news for Pierce.
This was the power he needed to overthrow this old world.
Others might see this as an execution, but he knew clearly that this was the coronation ceremony of Hydra!
From this day forward, he would be the brand-new Hydra Supreme!
And for a king, the best gifts were undoubtedly the submission of others and the heads of his enemies.
Therefore, he didn't immediately execute Nick Fury and the others. Instead, he used them as bait to lure out Steve and the others, intending to capture them all.
"Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, and Hacker, I know you're watching. Lay down your weapons immediately and surrender, or these people will all die."
"Anyone who discovers their whereabouts must report it immediately. Violators will be treated as resisters!"
Then, in front of countless people, he walked up to Harry.
Following that, several agents brought Norman Osborn out.
Norman was wearing his suit, and his expression was grim.
"Harry!"
Upon seeing Harry, he couldn't help but shout anxiously.
Seeing this, Pierce smiled and nodded with satisfaction.
This scene had already been filmed and recorded by all the media present, broadcast to the eyes of every American.
This was Pierce's deliberate move.
He needed someone to willingly submit as an example to the world, to show them what they could gain by kneeling before him, and what consequences they would face for defying him.
Coincidentally, Norman Osborn was the most suitable target.
With Harry Osborn in his hands, Pierce had no worries about Norman resisting.
"We meet again, Norman."
Pierce descended the steps of the Broadway Theatre building standing in the center of Times Square, facing Norman from a distance.
"Let my son go, Pierce."
"That won't do. Your son, Harry," Pierce said cordially, "participated in these acts of betraying the country, helping those sinners attack S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. This is a challenge to the Security Council, to our nation!"
"Of course, he is still young."
Pierce continued, "Perhaps he was misled, but I need you to provide sufficient evidence to prove that he acted unintentionally."
"Show me your sincerity, Osborn. Show me your loyalty to this country!"
Hearing this, Norman bit his lip tightly.
Submit, or watch his son die…
This was undoubtedly a cruel choice for a man nearing fifty.
Despite all this, it was all an act.
In reality, Norman Osborn was waiting for a signal, a signal for a counterattack.
The Daily Bugle.
Peter stood in Jameson's office. The old man and the young man faced each other in a stalemate. Outside the office, all the employees had stopped their work and were watching the two of them.
Peter's clothes were disheveled. In his haste, he could only find some clothes to cover his battle suit. There was still some dust on his face, making him look very weak.
His gaze fell on the new newspapers on Jameson's desk.
They carried headlines such as:
"Spider-Man, a Heinous Criminal!"
"Captain America, a Hydra Conspiracy!"
And other similar articles.
"You can't publish these, Mr. Jameson!" Peter swayed, his steps faltering. He reached out and leaned on Jameson's desk, almost falling.
"Spider-Man isn't a bad guy, and Captain America isn't Hydra… We have to tell the truth…"
Today, the usually irritable Jameson was unusually calm. He leisurely smoked a cigar, exhaling gray smoke, and crossed his legs, watching Peter's performance.
"I know you might not believe me, but we really need to tell everyone, to unite everyone we can unite—"
"Stop!"
Jameson interrupted Peter. He stubbed out the unfinished cigar in the ashtray and asked loudly:
"Where is the person?"
"What?"
Peter was stunned by his question.
Jameson showed an impatient expression and slammed the table hard: "I'm asking where is the person who can show his face, make everyone believe, and unite together?"
He sneered, then said:
"It couldn't possibly be you, right?"
"I'll go find him right now!" Peter excitedly pursed his lips, then rushed out without looking back.
Seeing this, Jameson tugged at his tie, sat back down, and grumbled unhappily:
"Clumsy kid!"
"He doesn't even know his collar is showing!"
Then, he picked up the phone on his desk: "Destroy all those newspapers, we have new news!"
Hardy Foundation.
Connors encountered new trouble.
Mrs. Hardy found him.
This shrewish woman knew how to protect herself at a time like this, so she immediately picked up her phone, preparing to report Connors to S.H.I.E.L.D.
Fortunately, Otto was quick-witted. He immediately put on his mechanical arms, extended one, and controlled Mrs. Hardy's wrist.
"Otto Octavius! How dare you do this!"
Mrs. Hardy's expression immediately became incredulous. In her eyes, Otto was just an employee working for her; she was the real boss who paid the money. By all rights and reason, Otto should have obeyed her every command!
But now, this guy actually dared to defy her authority!
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Hardy, but I can't let you report Curt." Otto shook his head.
"Do you want to get me killed?"
"Haven't you seen the tragic state of Osborn and Stark?"
"All their businesses have been terminated, Tony Stark is wanted and his whereabouts are unknown, and Norman, that poor old man, was publicly humiliated in front of the whole country for his son!"
"Do you want the Hardy Foundation to follow in their footsteps!"
Otto knew his actions were not entirely honorable. He thought for a moment and said:
"I'll leave with Curt."
"Impossible. If you leave, what about all the funds I invested in your experiments?" Mrs. Hardy retorted.
Those experiments were all money pits, and nothing had been researched yet, yet Otto wanted to leave with Connors. How could that be possible?
Upon hearing this, Otto felt a pang of guilt.
His research progress had always been slow. Although he was frugal in his daily life, it had still consumed a considerable amount of funds.
Seeing his guilt, Mrs. Hardy seized the opportunity and pressed the reporting phone number left by Pierce.
"Ring ring ring—"
In Times Square.
Pierce was waiting for Norman Osborn to make a choice when his phone suddenly rang.
He didn't need to think to know it was the reporting call!
"It seems someone is smarter than you, Norman." Pierce chuckled, picked up the phone, and answered it.
However, to his surprise, it wasn't the reporting call, but an agent's anxious voice.
"Mr. Pierce, someone has hacked into our network!"
"What?"
Pierce's expression changed.
"All the footage has been replaced!"
As the words from the phone ended, a man on the giant screen of the Broadway Theatre, a man worthy of being carved into a statue, appeared on the screen.
"Steve!"
Pierce gritted his teeth.
In the picture, Steve Rogers was wearing the display suit he had taken from the museum. Although the style was a bit old, it was familiar to everyone.
Not many people in the entire United States had never visited his museum.
"This is Steve Rogers. You've heard a lot about me these past few days, and some of you have even received orders to arrest me. I think it's time you knew the truth..."
In the distance, Ben unplugged the USB drive and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window of a building, watching this scene.
It was he who had helped Steve Rogers hack into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s system, allowing the footage from the Daily Bugle studio to be transmitted to the big screen.
Banner sat not far away and asked a little sheepishly:
"Did you prepare a speech for him in advance?"
"No need for a script, Doctor Banner. He just needs to express what's in his heart." Ben pointed to his own chest.
Banner nodded, then nervously asked, "Do I need to charge in later?"
"No, you're a scientist. Scientists don't have the same kind of strength as they do. Of course, you don't need to go to the battlefield."
Hearing this, Banner was quite pleased.
Having seven doctoral degrees had always been something he was proud of.
In Times Square, many agents gathered to listen to Steve Rogers' speech. They weren't all Hydra; some were genuine agents.
They were also very confused about the capture of Nick Fury and Captain America.
Inside the New York Police Department, George Stacy was redeploying police forces. He had also heard Steve's speech, or rather, everyone had heard it.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. has changed. It's been taken over by Hydra. Besides them, many others are Hydra. Alexander Pierce is their leader, and so are the Special Task Force and the Project Insight team."
"I don't know exactly who else, but they are in this country, possibly standing right beside you."
"They are about to succeed. Do you see those three carriers in the sky? They will soon have absolute control and use the carriers' weapons to eliminate anyone who might be a threat to them..."
"Unless we stop them."
As Steve spoke, the agents who had initially stood with Hydra began to waver.
Every agent warily gripped their pistols, looking at the people around them.
And those agents inside the carriers also became vigilant.
Seeing this, every Hydra agent immediately took action. Compared to the hesitant agents who suspected everyone, they knew exactly who the enemy was.
In Times Square, Hydra bared its fangs.
Blood and sacrifice were blooming.
Steve's words continued.
"I know this is difficult, but the price of freedom is high, and it always has been..."
"I am willing to pay that price, even if I'm the only one who stands up, but I believe I won't be alone..."
That's enough.
Ben cut off the image of Steve Rogers. Next—
It was Norman Osborn's stage.
In Times Square, Pierce's expression was extremely grim. He couldn't believe that even now, Steve Rogers could still outmaneuver him.
On such an important occasion, to be hacked into again! Those useless agents, whether Hydra or S.H.I.E.L.D., had no reason to exist!
"The snake skin can't hide it anymore, Pierce."
Norman taunted.
At this moment, Pierce's phone was ringing off the hook. Countless people he had worked with, but who were not Hydra, were trying to contact him, asking if what Steve said was true.
Pierce simply threw his phone away.
"It doesn't matter anymore!"
In an instant, he let go.
Originally, he had planned to continue his rule under the guise of S.H.I.E.L.D. He hadn't expected to be met with alienation and questioning. Since that was the case, "I'm not pretending anymore. I'm laying my cards on the table."
He spread his hands and said arrogantly, "I am Hydra!"
"What can you do? Defy me?" Pierce pointed to the sky. "Soon, three powerful carriers will arrive here, and anyone who resists me will be eliminated!"
"I always thought you were a smart man, Norman."
Pierce walked towards Norman Osborn, his face ashen, as cold as ice.
"Tell me, tell the world your choice!"
He pointed at the camera, and the eyes of the world focused on the two people before them:
"As long as you say 'Long live Hydra,' you can walk into a new world with me. Osborn will replace Stark and become the most powerful corporation in America! Your son won't die, and you will gain the power and status you've always dreamed of!"
"No!"
Norman's voice struck like a decisive hammer blow.
His heroic stance was witnessed by the entire nation. Who would have thought the chairman of Osborn Corporation had such backbone!
"I would rather die!"
Norman said furiously.
"Then I'll grant your wish!"
Pierce directly pulled out a gun and aimed it at Norman's chest.
Bang!
The moment the bullet was fired, it was as if the entire screen went black.
After a while, the Americans watching the live broadcast realized that they had instinctively closed their eyes out of fear.
But Norman Osborn, who was facing the muzzle, didn't retreat an inch!
He wasn't hit, because Captain America, Steve Rogers, descended from the sky and blocked the shot with his star-spangled shield.
In the sky, Falcon Sam circled.
Since Steve descended from the sky, he landed in a half-crouch, his raised round shield looking like a fluttering flag presented to Norman Osborn!
At the same time, a fiery figure swooped down. Tony Stark, clad in his crimson and gold battle armor, landed with a flourish on Norman's other side.
Norman had no weapons in his hands and no armor on his body, but he looked as if he were fully equipped.
He took a step forward, clenched his fist, and shouted:
"Avengers, assemble!"
The next moment, Spider-Man and Lizard Man Connors descended from the sky simultaneously, standing behind Norman.
At this moment, Norman Osborn seemed destined for greatness!
-----------
Translation by: randomtranslator.com
Read 2500+ original & fanfic translations and Translate for Free at: randomtranslator.com