Hydra’s Downfall

"Hydra is finished."

On a destroyer in international waters, Garrett stared fixedly toward Washington D.C. as his subordinates’ terrified voices reached his ears:

"Sir, the missile was intercepted by a Quinjet!"

"A flaming Quinjet—it was Ghost Rider!"

"He must have been blown to pieces. That missile could have destroyed all of Triskelion Headquarters."

"Should we launch a second one?"

Several subordinates looked at him eagerly, waiting for their backbone to make a decision.

Ghost Rider’s abilities had terrified them. Through the surveillance cameras everywhere in Triskelion Headquarters, they had seen what Ghost Rider could do—whoever he looked at died, and died horribly, screaming with faces twisted in agony, as though someone had stabbed their trigeminal nerves hundreds of times. No one could endure that kind of pain.

No one wanted to experience it.

So they all hoped Ghost Rider was dead, completely finished.

Unfortunately, they were destined to be disappointed. Garrett shook his head gravely.

"Ghost Rider is immortal."

"S.H.I.E.L.D.’s top-secret files state that only magic can kill him."

As a Level 8 Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., he had the same clearance as Coulson. Very few people in the entire organization had a higher security level than him. He knew an extraordinary number of secrets and understood exactly how terrifying Ghost Rider was.

That was not the main point.

Having been struck head-on by a missile, even if Ghost Rider did not die, he would be severely injured. Recovery took time, and he would not be able to stop a second missile.

But the enemy was already on alert.

Washington D.C. had a missile defense system. Even if they launched another missile, it could easily be intercepted.

They would soon determine his location. If he did not leave now, it would be too late.

Fury had taken control of the command center. He certainly would not let him go. This was a deep-shadow situation.

"We should leave." Garrett ordered the ship to set sail.

Hydra was finished, but life had to go on.

Pierce was dead, Sitwell’s status was unknown, and the other higher-ups were either dead or captured. Among Pierce’s faction, he would hold the highest position from now on.

Though Pierce’s great tree had fallen, quite a few monkeys from its branches had escaped. If he could bring them back under his control, Garrett believed he would still have the strongest faction of all.

Perhaps Hydra can rise again in my hands?

Perhaps Red Skull’s ideals will be realized by me?

Garrett suddenly felt the entire organization’s burden settle upon his shoulders, filling him with a sense of mission, as though he bore humanity’s fate.

He felt that everyone before him—including Hive, Red Skull, Zola, Pierce, and Hydra’s leaders throughout the generations—had merely been laying the groundwork. Everything had been waiting for a true Hydra: himself.

Garrett touched his chest, feeling the vibrations of the gears turning, and thought that he should first find a way to extend his lifespan. Otherwise, it was hard to say how many more years he had left.

Before ruling the world, he should first figure out how to eat a few more dinners.

"Immortal Iron Fist, Ghost Rider… If Hydra wants to rule the world, besides Fury, we still have to deal with those two…" Garrett muttered.

"How do you plan to deal with me?"

A voice suddenly rang out, filled with intense curiosity.

Garrett’s entire body stiffened. Why did that voice sound so much like Iron Fist’s voice in the videos?

No, this was Iron Fist’s voice, exactly the same!

Resistance was meaningless, and escape was impossible.

Garrett instantly assessed the combat strength of both sides and knew that everyone on his destroyer had already been surrounded by Iron Fist.

He could only raise his hands, turn around, and smile slightly. "Master Wang, care to sit down for a drink?"

Old Wang smiled faintly.

Invisible True Qi struck Garrett’s body, hitting his acupoints from afar.

Garrett collapsed instantly, and the others raised their guns at Old Wang.

Most of them recognized Old Wang and did not dare fire. Only a few who had not grasped the situation, or who were too nervous, instinctively pulled the triggers.

The bullets shot from their chambers at incredible speed, then rapidly slowed until they stopped before Old Wang.

Old Wang glanced at the shooters.

All the bullets flew back even faster, piercing through their foreheads.

"Gulp." Someone swallowed.

Watching Ghost Rider’s Hellfire and Eye of Judgment through surveillance footage had naturally been terrifying, but Immortal Iron Fist’s close-range attack was even more shocking. Then their legs went weak.

Bang!

The first person’s handgun fell, followed by the second’s.

The sounds of guns hitting the floor came one after another, playing a triumphant melody.

"Looks like no one wants to die."

Old Wang dusted off his clothes. "Set sail. Destination: San Juan!"

Standing amid the shattered glass covering the director’s office floor and looking out at everything beyond it, Egghead was in a terrible mood.

The situation had been decided.

But the losses were simply too great.

Though the war was not over and there were no precise figures yet, he roughly estimated that at least several thousand people would die this time, with losses exceeding a hundred billion—

Had Ghost Rider not successfully intercepted that missile, the number would have multiplied several times over.

None of that was important.

Since it was war, deaths were unavoidable. He had understood that long ago. Even if his heart ached, his face would reveal nothing.

Losses exceeding a hundred billion were naturally severe, but S.H.I.E.L.D. had the support of the United Nations and most countries around the world. It was not insurmountable.

The overall situation had been decided, and Hydra could no longer make any waves. Now he needed to consider compensation, reconstruction, and the purge.

But what he most needed to consider was how to deal with the higher-ups, the United Nations Security Council, and the doubts and…

accountability of more than two hundred countries around the world.

The entire matter could be concealed from the public, but not from the major intelligence agencies or humanity’s highest circles.

Hydra had infiltrated all of S.H.I.E.L.D.; even Pierce had been one of Hydra’s people. How could they still dare trust S.H.I.E.L.D.?

If mishandled, S.H.I.E.L.D. might face dissolution.

"Sir, we’ve taken Triskelion Headquarters. It’s ours now." Black Widow walked over with a sway in her hips. There was quite a bit of blood on her body—someone else’s blood.

It was ours to begin with. This is called reclaiming it, not taking it… Egghead nodded.

"Good work."

"What do we do next?" Black Widow rubbed her slim waist. It hurt a little; she had probably strained it. Another day, she would ask Master Wang to treat it.

Not now. She was too busy.

"First, stabilize the situation," Egghead said. "You, Agent Barton, and Coulson will handle that."

Black Widow understood Egghead’s unspoken meaning and frowned. "Is it troublesome? Do you need help? I have… some connections in Russia."

"Your connections are useless. The people who can decide S.H.I.E.L.D.’s future are powerful figures beyond your reach—politicians who play political games."

Egghead remained expressionless. "Hill will help me."

Everything that had happened today proved that Hill was trustworthy. Sometimes, those who appeared obedient were the most likely to stab you in the back. The ones who often argued with you were the ones who could give you a hand when it mattered.

She was highly capable, a Level 9 Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., and valued and trusted by the Security Council. As long as she was willing to speak for them, things would be much easier.

She definitely would.

"Sir, Ms. Carter will support us, along with those departments connected to S.H.I.E.L.D. If we mobilize all our resources, we should be able to secure the United States government’s support." Black Widow truly did not want S.H.I.E.L.D. to collapse. She did not want to become a lonely ghost.

"The United Nations does not belong to the United States, even if the United States has the greatest influence."

Egghead said, "First, we need to persuade the Security Council. Then we need to persuade more than a hundred United Nations member states. Agent Romanoff, you should go."

Black Widow shrugged and turned to leave.

"Sir, the Security Council is holding an emergency meeting. The council members demand that you attend immediately. They need an explanation. They need to know exactly how bad the situation is."

The cool, glamorous, long-legged beauty Hill walked over, several traces of concern hidden within her cold gaze. "You need to prepare yourself mentally. Sharon called Ms. Carter. She will come, and the council members will give her some respect."

"As long as S.H.I.E.L.D. still exists, the situation isn’t too bad." Fury replied, then headed toward the Security Council office.