C221(1)

"Proactively declare war?"

Eddie was startled, but soon his face lit up with excitement.

From Anton's words alone, Eddie had already grasped the existence of Hydra and the massive underground empire they had constructed—an empire that had emerged from S.H.I.E.L.D.'s failures. 

Unlike Kingpin's criminal network, which was formidable but local, Hydra's reach was global. The two were entirely different beasts.

Though Kingpin held immense power, in comparison to Hydra, he was little more than a regional warlord. Hydra was an empire in the shadows, a regent pulling the strings on a much larger scale.

"Anton, you need to think this through," Eddie said, suppressing his initial excitement and speaking with gravity. "If Hydra is as vast and entrenched as you say, with bases spread across the globe, we're not just dealing with the chaos of the S.H.I.E.L.D.- Bureau anymore. The pressure on us will be enormous."

Eddie wasn't afraid of Hydra. When he'd been an ordinary journalist, he'd dared to challenge the Life Foundation—his courage was never in question. 

But he raised the concern now out of caution and calculation.

"I don't care."

Anton's sharp gaze made Eddie realize just how resolute he was.

"If we're going to fight, we need to hit them where it hurts!" Anton said slowly. "Otherwise, they'll always see us as insignificant, easily crushed. Eddie, the Justice League has been established for so long, but we've yet to act together. This time, we'll announce to the world that a new era is upon us."

"Alright, I'm with you!" Eddie said, his voice firm. 

He clenched his fists and nodded. "Just like you said, let's stir the pot until it boils over. I'll start by exposing Hydra—I'll write the article and blow this open!"

"Move fast," Anton urged. "By tomorrow, I want the name Hydra to be known worldwide."

"No problem," Eddie replied, thumping his chest. "Exposing evil forces is my specialty!"

Sometime Later.

Batman returned, and New York erupted with excitement.

When news broke that Batman had led members of the Justice League to defeat a dark force, the internet exploded with cheers for the Caped Crusader and his allies.

Photos of Wonder Woman began circulating online, sparking a wave of admiration.

At the entrance of Wayne Enterprises, Wonder Woman had been spotted dispatching enemies with ease.

 At New York Airport, she stood alongside Batman, a radiant beacon against the night sky. Screens across the city lit up with her image, and countless fans clamored to share their admiration online.

Little did they know, every hero who appeared that night—regardless of their identity—was actually the same person. If the truth were revealed, the reaction would be unforgettable.

Batman's reappearance in New York, alongside three Justice League members, and their defeat of the dark forces became the talk of the city. 

Rather than quieting down as the night wore on, the story gained momentum. Thousands of people stayed up, refreshing their feeds for updates, desperate for an official explanation.

The media scrambled to report on the event, throwing out speculation and fabrications to get attention. Yet amidst the noise, one source stood above the rest: The Daily Bugle.

Known as Batman's go-to platform for announcements, The Daily Bugle had become a trusted source for Gotham and New York alike. 

Eddie, as its lead reporter, knew the weight of this responsibility.

True to form, Eddie didn't let anyone down. By midnight, he released a statement.

The update teased more to come:

"I've been in contact with Batman, and we're sorting through the details. By early tomorrow morning, we'll have the full story—everything you need to know about what happened tonight."

Although people were eager to uncover the truth, they understood that this was undeniably explosive news.

At the same time, another story caught the public's attention:

"Anton Shows His Talents: A 3-Minute Video Explains Why He Became Batman's Spokesperson" "The Anton Jameson You Never Imagined" "Columbian Banquet Attack: How Anton Saved Over 100 People"

These reports, supported by a 3-minute video recorded at the scene, instantly set the internet ablaze.

In the banquet hall of Columbia University, chaos erupted when several gunmen opened fire. Anton moved swiftly, navigating the turmoil with precision. 

Though unarmed, he managed to neutralize the attackers using the simplest tools at hand. In less than two minutes, the crisis was over, and the gunmen were no longer a threat.

The video, which should have been blocked by law enforcement, was obtained and released by an enterprising media outlet. 

Coupled with survivor interviews praising Anton's bravery and quick thinking, the story's popularity soared—rivalling even the news about Batman.

The connection to Batman was evident to many. Anton, seen as Batman's spokesperson, was thought to be part of the same group.

Previously, some had doubted why Batman would choose Anton as his representative. Many assumed Anton had capitalized on Batman's mystique to reinvent himself. 

But with this video, public perception shifted. It now seemed more likely that Batman, before his public debut, had sought out Anton to document his mission.

The prodigal son of New York had transformed, earning respect and admiration. With the release of this footage, people began to recognize Anton's potential.

Though the full details of Batman's mission to thwart terrorist organizations hadn't yet been revealed, Anton had already become the center of attention. 

Observers pieced together the events of the night and began to speculate.

Perhaps Batman had orchestrated Anton's involvement. Perhaps the attack at Columbia University was tied to the terrorist group Batman was targeting.

Unbeknownst to them, their guesses contained fragments of truth. Yet they lacked critical pieces of the puzzle and could only speculate.

The truth, set to be revealed by The Daily Bugle the next morning, promised to be earth-shattering. This was not just news; it was a revelation that would shake the world.

Especially in America, the revelations would spark a storm of fear and shock.

Washington, D.C.

News from New York had reached S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters almost immediately. Alexander Pierce's face was grim.

In just a few hours, everything had unraveled in a way Pierce hadn't anticipated.

The Cobra operation had failed. The "New York Occupation Plan," documented in Hydra's archives, was destroyed before it could even begin. Pierce knew what lay ahead.

Batman would retaliate.

But how? Pierce couldn't begin to imagine. His head throbbed as he considered the possibilities.

One thing was clear—there was no chance for a peaceful resolution. Batman wouldn't negotiate. Even if Hydra offered concessions, a settlement was impossible.

"Cobra… what a bunch of incompetents!" Pierce snarled, his expression dark.

Ringing!

The sound of his phone interrupted his thoughts. It was a call from Rumlow, codename Crossbones.

Pierce answered, forcing himself to remain composed. "Rumlow, what's your status?"

"We've completed the mission. Rex is in custody," Rumlow replied.

"Well done. Bring him in," Pierce ordered. Then, with a sharp edge to his tone, he added, "But make sure he doesn't say anything he shouldn't. Understood?"

"Understood," Rumlow said before ending the call.

He turned to face Rex, who knelt before him, bound and wearing a cold metal mask. Rumlow's eyes gleamed with icy determination.

At this moment, they stood by the beach, surrounded by abandoned vehicles, bullet casings scattered across the sand, and scorch marks left by bomb explosions.

A corpse in a high-tech battle suit lay at the edge of the beach, occasionally swept by the crashing waves. 

These were Rex's men—the last remnants of the Cobra organization. However, all of them were now lifeless.

In other words, only Rex, the commander of the Cobra organization, remained—and he was staring down annihilation.

"Rumlow, what are you going to do?"

Rex raised his head slightly, his knees pressed into the ground. Beneath his mask, his face was pale, and his eyes brimmed with fear.

He had expected Hydra to discard him when his usefulness ended, but he hadn't thought it would happen so quickly.

Half an hour earlier

When Rex's combat team reported the catastrophic failure of their mission, he immediately sensed danger. With growing dread, he fled his base, hoping to escape.

But Hydra's agents moved faster.

Rex hadn't even managed to get 200 kilometers away before they caught up to him. 

The men who had accompanied him were now nothing more than corpses strewn across the sand. Only Rex remained alive—and that terrified him even more.

He knew exactly who these people were.

Though nominally under the banner of S.H.I.E.L.D., they were in fact Hydra operatives. After all, it was Hydra that had propped up the Cobra organization from the very beginning.

"Rex, you've disappointed us," Rumlow said coldly.

He opened a small box handed to him by one of his subordinates and retrieved a syringe from inside.

"But don't worry," Rumlow continued. "We won't kill you. This is the latest formula—a highly addictive drug that induces powerful hallucinations. Once you've had a dose, you'll forget many things. You've failed us, yes, but you'll still have your uses."

With deliberate precision, Rumlow jabbed the needle into Rex's neck.

"No!" Rex struggled violently, his voice desperate. "The Cobra organization still has value! I'm its commander—you can't do this to me!"

His protests were met with cruel laughter.

Within seconds, Rex's pupils dilated, his expression growing vacant. He clutched at his throat, his face turning blue as though he couldn't breathe, yet he seemed completely oblivious to the pain.

"Take him back to headquarters," Rumlow ordered, watching Rex collapse to the ground in convulsions, a grotesque grin frozen on his face. "And keep a close eye on him—don't let him kill himself."

"Understood," a subordinate responded, snapping handcuffs onto Rex and hauling him to a waiting vehicle.

….

patreon.com/Vks_sh