Inside the S.H.I.E.L.D. operations hub, the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife.
Hill's expression was grim as she looked over the holographic map projected before her. "It should be," she said at last, her voice low. "Otherwise they wouldn't be converging toward New York in formation. Hydra is moving in groups — that can only mean one thing. Nathan is here."
Hawkeye's eyes narrowed, his tone sharpened like an arrow drawn on a string. "A full group of Hydra executives showing up together? They're not playing around this time." He folded his arms, his expression hard. "They're making their move. Hydra wants Nathan — alive."
Hill nodded gravely. "And we both know what that means. They're not after information. They want his power."
Black Widow's projection flickered on the conference display, her red hair framed by the cold blue light. "If Hydra wants him that badly, then Nathan's more dangerous than we thought. We can't let him fall into their hands."
Hawkeye clenched his jaw. "We might not know what happened to him after that incident, but if Hydra gets him, their strength could skyrocket overnight. Whatever Nathan's become, he's valuable enough to make Hydra burn this much fuel to hunt him."
Hill agreed. "It proves how desperate they are — and how important he's become."
Natasha leaned forward in her seat, her digital projection shimmering. "So where is he? If we want to stop Hydra, our best option is to intercept their teams and protect Nathan before they reach him."
Hill shook her head slowly. "We haven't been able to track him. He's off-grid. My best guess is only Hydra's top brass even know his last known position."
"Then we start with Hydra," Natasha replied, her voice cool as a blade. "We keep eyes on their people. The moment they move, we move. When they strike, we intervene. That way we not only stop Hydra — we save Nathan, and he owes us one."
Nick Fury — the "Black Braised Egg" as some agents joked behind his back — finally spoke from the shadows of the room. "That's fine. Let's settle it." His one eye glimmered in the dim light. "Hill, coordinate surveillance. Barton, get eyes in New York. Natasha, you handle the infiltration angle. If Hydra acts, we strike first. Contact HQ the second anything happens."
Everyone nodded.
The decision was made.
Yet deep down, none of them truly knew how strong Nathan had become.
To them, he was still a mysterious figure — a rogue asset who had disappeared after the Oscorp incident, leaving chaos in his wake.
And now, almost every Hydra high executive was in motion. That level of response meant they were sending in their monsters.
Hill's voice carried a quiet weight. "If all of Hydra's upper echelon is involved, this could be catastrophic. Even Nathan can't handle that kind of firepower alone."
That single assumption would soon prove wrong.
---
Across the city, a sleek black sedan cut through New York's late-night traffic. Its tinted windows reflected the neon glow of skyscrapers as rain began to fall.
The driver — a Hydra operative in plain clothes — kept his eyes fixed on the road. In the back seat, Kraken, one of Hydra's enhanced enforcers, lounged with calculated patience, speaking into a secure line.
"So it's Daniel Grant," Kraken muttered, his tone icy. "The man behind Oscorp. He's the key to finding Nathan." His gaze flicked toward the driver. "Head to Oscorp Tower."
"Yes, sir," the driver answered, eyes never leaving the road.
From the other end of the encrypted call came the unmistakable rasp of Baron Strucker.
"Kraken, listen carefully. You must not let that Nathan slip away. If he escapes again, it'll be nearly impossible to track him."
Kraken smirked, his voice thick with arrogance. "Don't worry, Baron. I'll handle it personally. You underestimate me."
He glanced out the window, a predatory gleam in his eyes. "In fact, maybe I'll bring the whole Oscorp building down. That'll flush him out fast enough."
"Don't!" Strucker's voice cut through the comms like a whip. "If you do that, you'll spook him. Nathan knows your strength. He won't come out if he senses danger."
Kraken's expression tightened, then shifted into a dark grin. "You're right. I'll play it quiet. I'll stay close — wait for him to appear. The moment he does, I'll take him myself."
"Good," Strucker replied, his voice fading. "Don't fail me."
Kraken ended the call. The smirk stayed on his face. "Failure isn't in my vocabulary."
The car turned down a narrow street near Oscorp.
The rain intensified, drumming on the roof.
And then —
A shadow fell from the sky.
A figure landed hard in front of the car, asphalt cracking beneath his feet.
The driver's eyes went wide. "What the—?!"
He jerked the wheel, but it was too late.
The figure didn't move. One hand rose lazily, palm open toward the oncoming car.
The driver slammed the brakes — too late.
Boom!
The vehicle collided head-on, but it was like crashing into a steel wall.
The figure didn't even flinch.
The car crumpled inward, the hood folding like paper as the entire front end smashed and flipped.
Nathan stood unmoving, his eyes glowing faintly beneath the mask.
Kraken barely had time to register what happened. The world spun. Metal screamed. The car flipped, landed on its side, and slid across the wet street in a shower of sparks.
The driver was gone instantly — crushed by his own steering column.
Smoke billowed. The rain hissed as it met the wreckage.
From the twisted door, a hand burst through.
Kraken crawled out, blood streaking down his temple, muscles tense. He looked up at the figure through the haze. The man stood perfectly still — wearing simple blue sportswear, masked, calm, utterly unshaken.
Kraken gritted his teeth. "You… who are you?"
The figure didn't answer.
Kraken studied him, the realization dawning like thunder.
"That body… you stopped a car with your bare hands."
His pulse quickened. "You're not human."
The figure's voice finally broke the silence — low, steady, controlled.
"You're looking for someone."
Kraken's expression shifted into a cold sneer. "So it's you, Nathan." He spat blood and straightened his coat. "Didn't expect you to walk right into my lap."
He chuckled darkly. "You look good — considering you're about to die."
Nathan said nothing. The air around him began to hum, faint arcs of electricity dancing over his skin.
Kraken's smirk faltered. "Don't think your fancy tricks scare me. You might've stopped a car, but you can't stop me." He spread his arms, his body trembling with sonic energy. "You know who I am, right? My voice can tear apart steel. You won't last a second against me!"
He inhaled sharply — then unleashed a sonic blast that shattered nearby glass.
The streetlights flickered. Air rippled. The pressure was enough to bend the car wreckage behind him.
Nathan didn't move.
The shockwave slammed into him — and died. The sound dispersed against an invisible barrier, a crackling sphere of light surrounding his body.
Kraken froze, disbelief written across his face. "Impossible!"
Nathan finally stepped forward. "You talk too much."
And then he was gone.
Lightning split the air. One instant, he was standing still; the next, he was in motion — a blur of pure energy. The ground beneath his feet exploded as he launched forward.
Kraken barely had time to react. "What the—?!"
He opened his mouth to scream another sonic attack, but Nathan was already in front of him.
A blinding flash — a fist like thunder.
Crack!
The punch connected squarely with Kraken's chest, hurling him backward. He crashed into the remains of the overturned car, the metal groaning from the impact.
For a moment, silence. Then Kraken staggered to his feet, coughing blood.
"Damn… you…" His voice trembled between rage and awe. "You're a freak!"
Nathan's eyes narrowed. "Says the Hydra mutt with fins."
Kraken's anger flared. His throat pulsed, glowing violet as he summoned another burst of sound. The air shimmered — but Nathan moved again, blitzing him mid-attack.
This time, Nathan's hand closed around Kraken's throat.
Energy crackled between his fingers. The Hydra enforcer kicked and struggled, sonic waves sputtering uselessly.
Nathan leaned in, voice calm, almost whispering.
"You wanted to find me," he said. "Now you have."
And then — a blinding surge of lightning.
The entire alley lit up as energy poured from Nathan's hand. Kraken screamed — a horrible, distorted cry swallowed by the storm. When it ended, his body hit the ground, smoking and motionless.
Nathan exhaled, the glow in his eyes fading. Rain washed over him, sizzling against the faint heat still emanating from his skin.
Above, a S.H.I.E.L.D. drone whirred silently, its camera zooming in. Inside the Triskelion, Hill stared in stunned silence.
"Was that…?" she began.
Nick Fury folded his arms. "Yeah. That's Nathan." His tone was low, almost impressed. "And he doesn't need saving."
Black Widow smirked faintly through the holo-screen. "Guess Hydra just learned the hard way."
On the dark street below, Nathan turned away from the wreckage, his silhouette fading into the storm — the faint glimmer of electricity marking his path through the night.
Hydra had come to hunt him. Instead, their hunter was dead.
And somewhere in the shadows of New York, the rest of Hydra's leadership would soon learn that Nathan was not prey. He was the storm.
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