"This base doesn't need to exist anymore."
With the Tesseract secured, Arnim Zola eliminated, and Hydra's classified archives absorbed into his memory, Rowan Mercer considered the mission more than complete. What remained was cleanup.
Hovering above the island, he swept his wand in wide arcs. Explosive magic detonated in rapid succession, each blast folding steel and concrete inward like paper. Within minutes, the Hydra installation collapsed into a smoking ruin. As he departed, Rowan intercepted the transport ship carrying Hydra's newly manufactured energy weapons. He took the cargo, then sent the vessel and its crew to the bottom of the ocean.
Washington was next.
Rowan had initially believed that Steve Rogers, Logan, Bruce Banner, Bucky Barnes, and the remaining SHIELD agents would be more than enough to deal with Alexander Pierce. In the past, far less had been required. But Zola's data told a different story. Hydra had deployed combat androids in large numbers, and Pierce might have enhanced operatives on the level of Carl Creel.
Better to be cautious.
The Insight Project was doomed regardless. The moment the Helicarriers rose to begin global "threat elimination," they would become targets. Earth was not defenseless. It never had been. Still, Rowan preferred that the Superhuman Academy be the one to end it. If the world's governments were going to learn the Academy existed, this was the cleanest way to make the point.
Strength spoke louder than explanations.
Rowan Apparated to the outskirts of Washington and accelerated toward the city, cutting through the air at breakneck speed.
The X-Jet arrived at the Triskelion moments later.
The scene below froze everyone inside.
Dozens upon dozens of armored robots bearing Hydra insignias ringed the building, forming layered defensive lines. Each unit was armed with high-output energy weapons. This wasn't a last stand. It was a fortress.
"Those are robots," Phil Coulson said flatly. "A lot of them."
Steve Rogers frowned. "So the original plan's out."
Before, the idea had been simple. Hulk smashes the front. Everyone else follows. Pierce gets arrested. The Helicarriers never launch. Hydra collapses.
Now, it wasn't that simple.
"These aren't desperation defenses," Steve continued. "Pierce prepared for this."
He moved quickly, shifting into command mode. "Logan, contact Stark. He's got experience dismantling robots. See if he can get here. Coulson, try the government again. We need military support if it's available."
He turned to the rest of the team. "We split up."
The plan was straightforward and brutally practical.
Steve, Logan, and Banner would attack head-on. Steve's shield could deflect heavy fire. Logan couldn't be put down. Hulk could tank energy cannons and tear through machines. They would draw every gun Hydra had.
Meanwhile, Coulson, Bucky, and the others would use the X-Jet's stealth systems to approach from another vector. Their goal wasn't to fight. It was to infiltrate the Triskelion, reach the control center, and shut down the Helicarrier launch sequence.
If Hydra focused on stopping the frontal assault, the infiltration team succeeded. If Hydra split its forces, the pressure eased up front, and Steve's team would push through.
And if neither option worked, there were still three massive Helicarriers sitting in plain sight.
Hulk excelled at dismantling large structures. Logan's adamantium claws could carve hull plating like foil. Steve's reforged shield, forged from uru alloy, could return when thrown and cut through armor on recall.
One way or another, the Helicarriers weren't leaving the ground.
Steve looked around the cabin. No one objected.
"Alright," he said. "Move out."
The battle for the Triskelion had begun.