Hydra

---------

Along with the USB flash drive in Nick Fury's hand, there was a single sentence: "Don't trust anyone!"

Before falling into a coma, Nick Fury had barely managed to stay conscious long enough to give Steve one last warning.

At the same time, the door to Steve's apartment opened from the outside, and a voice called, "Captain?" before stepping in slowly.

When Steve turned around, he saw that it was his neighbor, Kate.

Kate's expression was tense as she asked, "Captain, are you okay?"

"Kate?" Steve was confused, especially when he noticed the pistol in her hand. This was nothing like her usual self. As if sensing his skepticism, Kate quickly explained.

"I'm Agent 13 of S.H.I.E.L.D. I was assigned to protect you."

Steve naturally didn't take her words at face value and questioned, "Who sent you?"

Kate had already stepped past Steve into the apartment and spotted Nick Fury lying motionless on the floor. Kneeling beside him, she checked his condition before pulling out a walkie-talkie.

"F is down, unresponsive. We need emergency personnel immediately."

Steve observed her actions. Seeing her professional response, he started to believe her. But there was no time to dwell on it—he turned to the window, watching the gunman's movements outside.

A voice crackled over the intercom. "Do you have eyes on the shooter?"

Steve responded quickly, "Tell them I'm going after him!"

Grabbing his shield, he sprinted forward and leaped through the window, smashing through the glass with a loud crash. He landed on the rooftop of the adjacent building, closing in on the fleeing gunman.

With every step, Steve picked up speed, breaking through obstacles and smashing through doors without hesitation. When the shooter reached the rooftop's edge, preparing to escape, Steve acted.

With precise aim, he hurled his shield at the gunman.

The metallic ring of impact echoed as the shooter caught the shield effortlessly with one hand. Steve's eyes widened—he hadn't expected that.

Then he saw it. The man's entire left arm was metal.

Though the gunman's face was concealed behind a mask, Steve now knew this was no ordinary enemy.

Without hesitation, the masked figure threw the shield back. The force behind the throw was immense. Even with both hands, Steve had to brace himself against the impact, skidding back two steps before regaining his stance.

By the time Steve looked up, the shooter was gone.

Frustration filled him as he scanned the empty streets below. The gunman had escaped.

Steve returned home, where emergency personnel had arrived and were preparing to transport Nick Fury. Kate turned to him with concern. "Captain, we need to get him to the hospital."

But Steve had another idea. "No. I know someone who can save him. Give me a second."

Ignoring the questioning looks from Kate and the medics, he pulled out his phone and made a call.

Kai, who had been casually browsing his phone, picked up. "Steve? What's wrong? Did you find Nick Fury?"

"Kai, Fury's in critical condition. I remembered you have medical expertise. Can you help him?"

Kai sat up, surprised. He hadn't expected Steve to call him for something like this. "Alright, bring him over. I'll be waiting at the manor."

Without wasting time, Kai opened a portal. A shimmering blue doorway appeared in Steve's apartment, revealing the interior of Kai's manor on the other side.

Everyone present stared in shock.

Kate was the first to recover. "Captain, your contact is a wizard? That explains a lot..."

"No time for questions," Steve interrupted. "Help me carry Fury through."

He lifted one end of the stretcher and stepped through the portal. The others hesitated before following.

Kai led them to a basement room he had repurposed as a makeshift medical bay.

Turning to Kate and the medics, Kai gestured toward the door. "Wait outside. I'll take care of this."

Steve nodded at them reassuringly. "Let him work."

Though hesitant, Kate complied, stepping out and watching as Steve shut the door.

One of the medics frowned. "Who is he? Does he really think he's better than a hospital?"

Kate, still tense with worry, didn't hesitate in her response. "If it was any other doctor, I wouldn't believe it. But if Kai says Fury won't die today, then I believe him."

Inside the room, Kai assessed Fury's injuries.

"He's in worse shape than I expected," Kai muttered. "A broken arm, facial lacerations… and this gunshot wound is fresh."

Steve's concern deepened. "Kai, can you really save him?"

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Steve, do you doubt me? I told you I could."

"No, that's not what I meant. I'm just worried."

Kai smirked. "Relax. If you're that concerned, I could freeze him first. That'll buy us time."

Without waiting for a response, he cast a freezing spell, encasing Fury in a block of ice.

Steve's jaw dropped. "Kai, you—!"

"Calm down," Kai reassured him. "He's stable now. We have time to talk."

Turning serious, Kai continued, "Before I begin treatment, don't you want to know why Fury was attacked?"

Steve hesitated. His priority had been saving Fury, but now that Kai mentioned it, the question loomed over him.

Kai smirked. "I had Gear dig into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s recent communications. You'll want to see what we found."

With a flick of his hand, Kai projected a series of intercepted messages in the air. He pointed to one.

"This phone call caught my attention."

Kai played the recording.

"He knows about us," said the voice on the line.

A brief silence. Then another voice asked, "Should we eliminate him?"

"Yeah."

The call ended.

Steve's face darkened. Someone inside S.H.I.E.L.D. had ordered Fury's execution.

Before he could ask, Kai displayed the call's source.

Steve read the name. "Alexander Pierce… Wait, you're saying this call came from Pierce?!"

Kai nodded. "Bingo. He's the one who put the hit on Fury. And there's more."

Another intercepted message appeared, showing a word Steve had hoped he'd never see again.

Hydra.

Steve stared in disbelief. "That's not possible. Hydra was eliminated."

A flood of memories surged back—battles fought, comrades lost. He had believed their sacrifices had wiped Hydra out for good. But now, here was undeniable proof that Hydra still lived, lurking within S.H.I.E.L.D. itself.

Anger built inside him. He clenched his fists, his voice steady but filled with conviction.

"Where are they?"

Kai had expected this reaction. "I traced the connections. Hydra's agents are embedded deep within S.H.I.E.L.D., and Pierce is at the top of it."

Steve's expression hardened. The war against Hydra wasn't over.

And this time, he wouldn't stop until it was.

_______