Digging a Pit

At the former site of the Karl family estate, on the outskirts of New York, in the second-floor conference hall.

"Greetings, Patriarch!"

As a brilliant portal suddenly appeared in the room, the two young maidservants briskly stepped forward with practiced efficiency. Their faces held respect and delight as they lowered their heads and stood on either side of the portal to greet him and await instructions.

As if hearing the commotion, the bald Black man who had been waiting on the conference sofa for some time rose to his feet. His blind left eye was covered by a black eyepatch, while his remaining right eye fixed on them with a faintly sharp gaze.

"Bring up that bottle of red wine Howard stored here."

Stepping out of the portal, Kyle sent the maidservants away. When he looked up and saw his familiar old friend, a rare sunny, gentle smile appeared on his handsome face. "Fury, it’s been a few months."

"Yeah." Fury shook his head with feeling. The stern expression he usually wore as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. relaxed, and he gave the same bitter smile. "And it’s all thanks to you. The Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. position isn’t easy. It’s exhausting, thankless, and troublesome."

As he spoke, Fury walked up to Kyle and patted his shoulders with both hands. He said in sorrow and frustration, "Kyle, Howard told me about your condition over the phone. I’m sorry. You have every resource I have, and resources I don’t have as well. You even gave me this position at S.H.I.E.L.D. I honestly don’t know how I can help you."

"This isn’t your fault. Forget you—even no one on Earth can help me." Kyle shrugged. "Only I can save myself."

"Are you leaving soon?" Fury asked, his already dark face growing even more somber.

Kyle did not hide it from him and answered frankly, "Counting today, three days remain. On the night of the third day, I’ll try using certain methods to leave Earth."

"Three days… I see." Fury seemed preoccupied, but did not continue.

"Enough about that. I brought someone else with me." Kyle turned slightly. In the still Mars-wheel-like portal, the alluring red-haired Natasha emerged behind him, leaving wet footprints across the floor.

"I know. Natasha Romanoff, an elite agent from the Soviet Red Room."

Wearing what he believed was a friendly smile, Fury approached Natasha and held out his hand in greeting. "The last time I saw you was during World War II, aboard a battleship. Kyle had beaten you badly, and I was the one who arranged for people to treat you and place you in an interrogation room."

"My name is Natasha Karl now." Natasha replied irritably, shooting Fury a cold glance.

She was not particularly fond of Fury. Who brought up someone else’s embarrassing past the moment they met?

"You two should get acquainted. From now on, you’ll be partners tied together in S.H.I.E.L.D."

At Kyle’s words, Natasha nodded helplessly in compliance. Fury, meanwhile, chuckled and said with satisfaction, "Excellent. Having a Super Agent you can trust and rely on, someone who can watch your back, makes things much more reassuring at S.H.I.E.L.D."

After the three of them settled comfortably onto the conference sofas, the maidservant brought over the red wine, filled their glasses, and withdrew.

Kyle elegantly raised his wineglass and swirled the rich red liquid within. "What is it? Haven’t you been at ease as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. lately?"

Fury did not answer immediately. He took a gloomy sip of wine, then said gravely, "Kyle, you really were right before. S.H.I.E.L.D. isn’t that simple. Its goal is indeed to wipe out Hydra completely, but many of its managers and personnel are elite talents transferred from various American government and military agencies. Ever since its formation, the relationships between those departments have been incredibly tangled."

"You suspect there are Hydra spies inside?" Kyle asked calmly.

"It isn’t suspicion. There definitely are. And recently, I discovered one—a secretary I hired not long ago, the staff member I spend the most time with every day."

At that, Fury sighed in frustration and said apologetically to Kyle, "I was careless. I’ve dealt with Hydra so many times, yet I still underestimated their ability to infiltrate and lie low."

Kyle was not surprised. In the original story, S.H.I.E.L.D. had practically been half a Hydra den. The current situation was already fairly good.

After pondering for a moment, he asked, "Have you dealt with that spy yet?"

"Not yet. After meeting you, I wanted to use that little rat to uncover more hidden agents." Fury’s voice turned cold. His single eye was sharp and imposing as an eagle’s, already carrying the beginnings of the commanding presence he would have as the future Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

"Then this is simple." Kyle smiled instead and considered it. "After you return, casually let that little rat learn that the nuclear radiation in my body has caused severe illness and loss of bodily function, and that I’m recuperating in seclusion at this estate. Also, in two days, I’ll be moving away from here to live on an unknown island."

"You want to lure them here?" Fury understood Kyle’s intentions as soon as he heard it.

Kyle nodded. "When one Hydra head is cut off, another grows in its place. On the eve of my departure from Earth, if they dare to come, none of them will be leaving."

Natasha raised her hand and interjected, "Wouldn’t this trap… be a little too obvious? Hydra’s people probably won’t fall for it."

"It doesn’t matter whether they come or not. It’s merely an attempt." Kyle crossed one leg over the other and leaned back comfortably against the sofa. His azure eyes glinted with shrewd intelligence. "Besides, half the information Fury gives them will be true. With such important intelligence that is half true and half false, along with the allure of killing me, the Symbol of Peace, I believe some fools will still deliver themselves to our door."

"Not just Hydra remnants—perhaps they’ll even persuade other forces to join them and give me a big surprise." Kyle’s lips curved upward. Using himself as bait to set a trap, he actually felt a faint sense of anticipation.

He truly looked forward to more enemies coming, offering their lives as farewell gifts.

Natasha nodded in full agreement. "Indeed. If they learn that something has gone wrong with your body, even if there’s only a one-in-ten chance it’s true, someone in the Red Room will definitely try sending quite a few agents."

"Not just the Soviet Red Room. Nazi Germany, Japanese samurai, ninjas… Honestly, the hatred they have for you has already broken past the limit." Fury laughed helplessly.

"On the eve of my departure, they’re welcome to gather at the estate." Kyle chuckled, as if he wanted to personally hand them invitations.

Whoever wasn’t convinced, don’t hold it in! Let’s not drag this era’s grudges into the future. We’ll settle them all together, cleanly and directly!

"Oh, right. There’s something else. I don’t know whether I should tell you."

Fury looked hesitant. Under Kyle’s puzzled gaze, he said uncertainly, "Peggy Carter… you remember her, right?"

Carter?

That name seemed to awaken Kyle’s memories.

Of course he had not forgotten. The first rare Green Card that changed his life had been drawn from her.

She was a comrade-in-arms, an old friend, and the person Steve had entrusted to him.