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Day One.
"S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Secret Spending: They Spent Fifty Billion U.S. Dollars a Year... To Build a 'Yo-Yo'?"—Skye leaked an encrypted S.H.I.E.L.D. budget containing strange codenames like the "Tahiti Project" and the "Centipede Project."
The public was in an uproar.
"Fifty billion?! I haven't even sorted out my damn health insurance yet!"
"What is Tahiti? A resort?!"
Day Two.
"The Insight Project: S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Global Surveillance Network!"
—Skye hacked into the helicarrier database. Although she didn't get the core data, she publicized the concept art and purpose of the Insight Project.
"...Three helicarriers, carrying Railguns, capable of eliminating one million potential threats globally within one minute?!"
"Is this protection?! This is Nazi Germany!!"
The American Civil Liberties Union immediately sued S.H.I.E.L.D. in court.
Day Three.
Skye made a huge move.
Instead of direct exposure, she posted a black-and-white photo on the homepage of The Daily Bugle, which is currently under Vought Media.
The photo was old, dating back to the World War II era.
In the photo was a sinister-looking man wearing round glasses.
Arnim Zola.
"...A dormant account transferred from a Swiss Bank in 1947... Original account holder... Dr. Arnim Zola?!"
"...A secret appropriation in 1985, used for the 'Winter Soldier' project at the Siberia Base..."
helicarrier, the bridge.
"Bang!"
Nick Fury slammed his fist onto the table, his single eye colder than ever before.
"Officer!" Maria Hill's face was pale.
"It's chaos! The Security Council is demanding we immediately dismantle the Insight Project! The Department of Defense is questioning us! Those damn politicians... they're about to blow up my phone!"
"Coulson!"
"Present, Officer."
"Motherfuck! That Rising Tide girl... Skye... Find her!" Fury roared.
"...Officer," the revived Coulson said with a strange expression, "We... can't find her. She's like... evaporated. All her traces have been artificially wiped."
"...Vought." Fury uttered the name. What followed was total chaos for S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents, under Nick Fury's instruction, frantically investigated what exactly "Zola" and the "Winter Soldier" were.
Meanwhile, the embedded HYDRA Agents were desperately trying to cover up those traces!
"fuck! How did they know about Zola's account?!"
"The Winter Soldier is exposed! Quick! Delete Bucky Barnes's name from the database!"
"Director Pierce wants us to speed up!"
S.H.I.E.L.D.'s internal communication channels were instantly jammed with two completely different sets of emergency orders, initiating a frantic internal information war.
Pierce also realized a more serious problem.
The Insight Project's algorithm was designed by Zola.
If the algorithm were exposed, those who truly understood it could quickly reverse-engineer HYDRA's thought process from the code!
"Goddammit..." Pierce picked up his private phone. "...Recall Rumlow's Strike Team."
...Starr Tower, top floor.
Anthony was lying in a jacuzzi, drinking '82 Happy Water.
On the massive screen in front of him, CNN, Fox, MSNBC... all the channels were playing simultaneously.
Every channel was frantically discussing the "S.H.I.E.L.D. Crisis."
"...The White House Spokesperson stated that President Ellis has expressed 'serious concern' and has ordered the formation of an Independent Investigation Committee..."
"...The Global Security Council has convened an emergency meeting, demanding S.H.I.E.L.D. immediately provide an explanation..."
"...The Rising Tide organization claims this is only the first wave, and they have more truth to reveal..."
"Sir." She handed him a report. "As you predicted, the Agents they sent out for sampling have all been recalled. Our 'friends' embedded in S.H.I.E.L.D. report that they are currently searching the entire World for Skye."
"They don't have time to bother you anymore."
"How wonderful." Anthony raised his glass toward the New York night view outside the window.
"Let those bastards try to bother me now..."
"Ashley."
"Sir?"
"Notify the Promotions Team, my movie... homelander: origin, can start its Global Premiere."
...Time flowed, Los Angeles, TCL Theatre.
Traffic within a five-kilometer radius was completely paralyzed.
Over a hundred thousand fans packed the Walk of Fame, holding up "Homelander" light signs and the Stars and Stripes.
"...Homelander! Homelander! We love you!"
"...Homelander! Homelander! We love you!"
"I love Steve! I love Steve!" an old man shouted inappropriately among the fans, only to be "kindly" tossed into a warm trash can to prevent him from catching a cold.
"Oh my god! This is insane!!" The female host from the Entertainment Channel screamed into the microphone, facing the camera. "I've never seen a scene like this!"
"Look over there! It's Iron Man! Tony Stark himself!!"
"Oh! And Captain America! Steve Rogers! My goodness, the Avengers... they came to show support for Homelander?!"
The crowd erupted in screams like a mountain tsunami.
Tony Stark arrived wearing the newly hand-built Mark 33 Silver Centurion, opened his faceplate, and waved at the fans.
"fuck," he muttered to Steve beside him. "I feel like a... warm-up clown."
"Keep smiling, Tony." Steve, wearing a sharp suit, had a relaxed expression. "We're here to show support."
"Show support? I just want to punch that fake smile right off his face."
"Shh, he's coming." Natasha's voice came from behind them; she was wearing a sexy black evening gown tonight.
"What?"
"In the sky."
"BOOM—!!!!!"
The crowd's screams instantly broke the sound barrier!
All the searchlights, at that moment, focused on the night sky!
"Whoosh—!"
A streak of blue light, carrying fragments of a Sonic Boom Cloud, descended from the sky!
Anthony landed directly on the red carpet.
"Boom!"
He landed in the classic "Homelander" pose, kneeling on one knee with his hands on his hips.
When he slowly raised his head, his handsome face and azure blue eyes were broadcast globally through hundreds of live cameras.
The entire World was silent for three seconds.
Then... "Homelander—!!!!!"
"Homelander!!!"
"..."
Anthony slowly stood up, the Eagle Emblem on his chest shining brightly under the flashbulbs.
He spread his arms, basking in the most fervent worship and shouts.
"Ding! Gained Popularity Value +10812!"
"Ding! Gained Popularity Value +12404!"
"Ding! Gained Popularity Value +15810!"
"Yes... yes..." Anthony laughed wildly in his heart. "This is it! This is it!! This is what the fuck... I deserve!!"
He walked across the red carpet and took the microphone from the Outside Host.
"Hey! Everyone! I love you!"
His voice, amplified by the loudspeaker, spread throughout the entire block.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh—!!!!" This elicited a wave of screams from the fans.
"Folks! Do me a favor! Tell me... who is the real hero?!"
"It's YOU—! Homelander! Homelander!!!!!"
"No! It's YOU—! You are the real heroes!"
"Ahhhh! Homelander! I love you!!!!"