7. Theft

For some people, a wrong account was something normal, even commonplace, but it wasn't something to worry about at certain times.

But when these accounts involve the money of a country and the well-being of its population, things start to go in a different direction.

I was really sad to see that a lot of money was being embezzled. And the fault, luckily for me, was not with the people I appointed, but with those who were supposed to do their job.

After so much hard work, and a lot of sweat, the former Freedom Army, now it was the Protection Soldiers, a group with my endorsement, appointed by my minister, to take care of the safety of the population.

But I remember the bad apples there. Up until that point, they hadn't been in the spotlight, or had much influence, but I started to notice some discrepancies in these people's accounts.

Some were getting very rich, and all of a sudden, they were getting very poor. I put my doombots on to track where that money was going, and bingo, it was a ghost account operated by SHIELD/Hydra.

Without much thought, the nightmare descended.

In the dead of night, men from the Protection Soldiers began to disappear, and I didn't hold my hand, I dragged them all to the dungeons. Everyone, whether they worked for SHIELD or not SHIELD.

The account, mysteriously, was cleared, and even more mysteriously, my country's coffers were richer.

I was waiting for the counterattack, which unfortunately didn't come.

But when I wasn't finished, I separated the Hydra, and sent their heads back to a certain Alexander Pierce. I wanted to see how he would feel when he heard the latest news about his men.

Yes, I saw.

My doombot was there, showing me everything first hand.

When Pierce opened the box, after reading the message on the paper, and seeing only severed heads with red-hot Hydra designs on their foreheads, he vomited, and then threw his hysterical fit.

It was possible to see the bloodstained paper on top of his desk, with the flag of Latveria occupying more than half of the sheet, and written just below.

'We know.'

I don't deny it, I got this idea from the Skyrim assassins' guild. I loved that game. I loved him because he doesn't exist in this world, or at least not yet.

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POV PIERCE

I received a box with the heads of my men who were previously under orders to infiltrate that backwater kingdom of Latveria. I kept track of the latest changes, and used it to raise funds.

I thought that your King would not notice anything, but I was completely wrong. I saw the flaw in the plan, but believed the egomaniac wouldn't bother to find out.

"Fuck, now we have to start all over again." I couldn't help but scream.

At least, we now have a good margin for our future work, as 74B dollars have already been withdrawn from that useless country.

It was just that that comforted me.

Little did I know, things were worse than I imagined.

When I sat down in front of my laptop and went to check the bill, I almost had a heart attack. I started looking into the other accounts, and things just got worse.

Any Hydra account was completely zeroed out. Whether from my cell, or Stryker's, or anyone else's. And if that wasn't the only bad news, my phone rings, the one with the secure line.

"Hey Stryker, give me some news." my voice was more tired than I realized.

"You idiot, do you know what that King did? And to make matters worse, he left me a message. He said that if we once again look at your country, my base here in Sokovia, yours in the USA and as well as the many others will cease to exist.

I don't know what the hell you did, but rest assured, if you don't pay me back, I'll turn your life into a bubbling, bloody hell. You have a week, you asshole." and the call was disconnected like that.

I just sigh.

'How to return 174B dollars that shouldn't exist in one week? I don't do miracles.'

I was tired. Very tired.

I look at my cell phone, and there was a message from an unknown number. It was normal, secure lines don't show who they are, and only Stryker has that number.

As I read the message, I felt my hair turn white instantly.

'I hope you had fun trying to harm my country, now face the consequences. I didn't provoke you, but you came to bother me. Try again, please, so I can wipe you and your scum off the Earth.

Have a good time, motherfucker. With love.

Victor von Doom.'

"You bastard." I can't help myself, and throw my cell phone at the wall, watching it shatter and break. "Damn you, I swear, I'm going to kill you, you broken-in."

Then another message arrives, but this time, it's on my private phone. I open it to read it, and my stomach turns.

'Be careful how you address a King, wretched, accursed and broken into are not worthy of me. Handsome, elegant and vindictive are more my type. I hope you understand, motherfucker, I watch you.

Good luck trying to recover 174B.

With love.

Victor von Doom.'

And there it went, another cell phone for the wall, and another cell phone I'll need to buy. I sit, exhaling the frustrations from my lungs, tired.

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POV MC

After playing with this guy a bit, I think it's time to take a trip, show myself vulnerable, and who knows, meet new people.

I can also visit my ex friends, see how they are doing, if they need help with something. As much as I disliked Reed, he was still my friend, and so was Susan. Ben has always been a nice guy to me, and Johnny is a pain in the ass, who has doomed his sister to live with Reed. Bad luck for her.