Sitting at the head of the table was Alexander Pierce.
The former Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and current high-ranking member of the Council was frowning, his eyes behind his wire-rimmed glasses gleaming with a dark, unreadable light.
Grief?
Perhaps a tiny bit; Nick Fury was, after all, his "star student" whom he had personally promoted.
But mostly, there was an unrestrained sense of ambition and fanaticism.
What was the creed of Hydra?
Cut off one head, and two more shall take its place!
Now, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s head was gone, the arrogant one-eyed man was dead. To Pierce, this was a golden opportunity!
If they could just survive this crisis, S.H.I.E.L.D. would fall completely into Hydra's hands, and perhaps... Frieza's power, if it could be utilized...
"Gentlemen."
Pierce tapped the table, breaking the deathly silence.
"The time for mourning is over."
"Nick Fury proved one thing with his life—conventional methods are useless against that golden devil."
"Effective immediately, I am temporarily taking over S.H.I.E.L.D. I need to know: how much leverage do we have left before the so-called 'Frieza Games' begin?"
His gaze swept over the people present.
They were all dispirited, like defeated fighters.
Only Steve Rogers, Captain America, held a stubborn look in his eyes, though the hand gripping his fist trembled slightly.
"Three days..." Dr. Banner held his head, shrinking into his chair, his voice shaking. "Forget three days. Even three years, thirty years... how do we fight a monster who treats the Earth like a piece of cake to be sliced?"
"The Hulk... even the Hulk is scared to come out."
That statement was like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing the last flicker of hope in their hearts.
If even the beast who only knew how to smash was afraid, what could they, mere mortals, possibly do?
"Stark."
Maria Hill's eyes were red, the telltale sign of recent tears. She stared intently at Tony, who had been slumped in his chair, silent.
"The report says you were the first to encounter him. You also saw him change from his normal appearance multiple times at close range."
"Tell me, anything! Even a tiny, minuscule weakness! Do you know how he transforms into that thing?!"
All eyes immediately focused on Tony.
Iron Man, the once-cocky and arrogant genius, now looked like a broken-down alcoholic who had lost his soul.
He slowly looked up, his bloodshot eyes filled with confusion.
"Weakness?"
Tony gave a bitter, forced smile.
"Agent Hill, do you think God has a weakness?"
"I don't know... I don't know anything."
Tony painfully ran his hands through his hair, his voice hoarse. "All I saw was him, wearing that damn expensive suit, flying onto my tower's roof like a CEO inspecting a construction site."
"Then... he just changed. No incantation, no mutation. It was like... like he was a god all along, just wearing a layer of human skin."
"God?"
Thor, who had been quiet until now, let out a cold scoff.
Without his hammer, his hands felt empty, forcing him to awkwardly cross his arms.
"Don't insult the word 'god,' Stark."
"The aura around that man is more evil and colder than any dark creature I have ever encountered."
Thor's heart still twinged as he recalled the moment Mjolnir was shattered by a single finger flick.
"Though I hate to admit it... that man's power..."
Thor gritted his teeth, as if it took all his strength to say the next part:
"It is arguably stronger than my father, Odin, the All-Father, in his prime."
"Of course!" Thor quickly tried to save face. "That's just a hypothetical! If he were on Asgard, if I had the Eternal Spear, if my father were at full strength... Hmph!"
His weak explanation didn't even convince himself.
"Tch."
Pierce impatiently let out a cold sound.
He didn't care how strong any one-eyed old man was. Asgardian mythology couldn't save Earth now, and it certainly couldn't save Hydra's grand scheme.
"Enough. Instead of debating how unscientific that monster's power level is, let's look at the legacy Fury left us."
As Pierce spoke, he pulled out an old, seemingly antique-looking pager from the evidence bag stained with Fury's blood.
The screen was blinking with a red and blue logo.
"This was recovered from Fury."
Pierce held up the pager, a sharp glint in his eye. As the head of Hydra, lying in wait for years, he was privy to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secret files, even more so than many senior agents.
"Carol Danvers. Code name: Captain Marvel."
"A superhuman who left Earth in the nineties to maintain peace in the cosmos."
"It is said she can fly at the speed of light in deep space, can move planets with her bare hands, and can absorb the energy of a star."
Pierce's voice echoed in the room, painting a picture of a savior for the desperate group.
"This is the reinforcement Fury called in just before his death, and she is our last hope."
At this description, a flicker of light returned to everyone's eyes.
Move planets with her bare hands?
That sounded like someone who could perhaps go toe-to-toe with Frieza.
"Is there really someone that powerful?" Dr. Banner pushed up his glasses, sounding incredulous.
"If she's coming, maybe we really have a chance!" Captain America's hope was reignited, and he clenched his fist.
However.
Just as the atmosphere began to lighten, Pierce abruptly chilled the mood.
"Hmph, naïve."
Pierce scoffed, pouring a bucket of cold water over their heads.
He slammed the pager heavily onto the table.
"You think relying on a woman who's millions of light-years away will solve the problem?"
"Three days! We only have three days!"
"Even if she flies at the speed of light, by the time she gets back, Frieza will have turned Earth into his personal garden and us into fertilizer!"
Pierce stood up, leaning his hands on the table, looking at everyone with an extremely manipulative intensity.
"Pinning your hopes on some abstract savior is the act of the weak. We must save ourselves! We must be proactive!"
"Proactive?" Natasha frowned. "How? Our weapons are useless against him, and we can't even get close."
"No, there is an opportunity."
Pierce narrowed his eyes, like a viper flicking its tongue.
"According to intelligence reports from the scene, Frieza took the Mind Stone from Loki's scepter during the fight, and he took the Space Stone from the portal device."
"He has both of these Infinity Stones in his possession."
"I think you've all witnessed the power of the Infinity Stones."
Pierce lowered his voice, his tone heavy with temptation:
"What if we could steal the Stones?"
"If we controlled the power of the Infinity Stones, wouldn't we have the means to fight, or even kill him?"
His words made everyone fall into deep contemplation.
Steal?
Steal from the demon king who treated the Earth like a playground ball?
It sounded like pulling teeth from a tiger—a death wish.
But...
It also seemed like the only viable option left.
Compared to a direct confrontation, wouldn't infiltration and theft have a slightly higher chance of success—maybe 0.01%?
"Frieza is likely at his most relaxed and arrogant right now," Pierce continued, promoting his suicide plan. "He just conquered the world and issued a three-day ultimatum. He must think we're all cowering in fear. He'll never expect us to do the complete opposite!"
"Tonight is the best chance!"
"While he's resting at Frieza Tower or wherever he lives, we infiltrate, take the Stones, and then..."
Pierce made a throat-slitting motion.
"I'll go!"
A cold, resolute voice rang out.
Maria Hill stood up abruptly, her strong face now filled with determination.
Since witnessing Nick Fury's brutal death, her heart had been consumed by a burning desire for revenge.
He was her mentor, her commanding officer, her only faith within S.H.I.E.L.D.
"I am one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s best agents. I have the skills to infiltrate Frieza Tower, and I'm familiar with the layout."
Hill checked the holster on her outer thigh as she spoke, her eyes radiating a do-or-die resolve.
"If it means taking down that bastard, I'll do whatever it takes, even if it means dying with him!"