Yes, it was indeed Stark and Luca who hijacked the Insight satellite signal.
But the process wasn't easy.
Initially, Tony wanted to hack into the three Helicarriers directly with Luca, taking control and making them destroy each other to avert the crisis in D.C.
However, when they discovered the Helicarrier servers rejected all external data, they switched targets to hack the Insight satellites instead. By then, time was running out.
This led to the Helicarriers dropping their first payload just moments before the satellite signal was hijacked.
"Damn it!"
Tony punched the laptop, causing static to dance across the screen.
Watching the White House reduced to ruins on the video feed, Tony's eyes filled with uncontrollable rage and helplessness.
But this was the limit of what he and Luca could do right now.
Interfering with the satellites only blinded Project Insight's targeting system. It didn't make the Helicarriers useless.
Moments later, the three Helicarriers on the screen began to lower their altitude slowly.
Simultaneously, fighter jets launched from their decks one after another.
"Those bastards are changing tactics!"
Above D.C., the three Helicarriers spread out to dominate the airspace instead of staying clustered.
Like three floating steel islands, they aimed their deadly main cannons and dense anti-air batteries at major transport hubs, potential military resistance points, and any gathering forces.
Swarms of carrier-based fighters roared into the sky like deadly wasps, patrolling and bombing relentlessly to suppress the airspace and prevent any effective aerial counterattack or evacuation.
On the ground, government agencies that survived the first wave were paralyzed.
Large numbers of Hydra ground troops began taking over the city.
Among them were former SHIELD agents turned Hydra, Centipede Soldiers, mechanically enhanced soldiers, and even a significant number of Inhumans controlled by Hive.
Clearly, Hydra had temporarily abandoned the idea of precision assassinations via the threat algorithm and was now relying on brute force to enforce rule.
With the White House destroyed and D.C. leaderless, it seemed only a matter of time before Hydra completely controlled the city.
"Satellite hijacking only blinds them; it doesn't defang them! Those insects are still destroying everything!"
Tony watched the screen, fists clenched so tight his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood.
Luca's face was equally grim, but his brain was calculating rapidly.
"They switched from precision strikes to full suppression. Washington is falling, but if we rush there now..."
He glanced out the porthole at the desolate wasteland.
"...We'll just get shot down by those anti-air guns like flies. It won't help."
"Besides, we're closer to New York. Cap and the others are missing, and those lunatics from the prison are ravaging the city! If we delay, New York might fall faster than Washington!"
Their "crash site" was in Pennsylvania. Barring accidents, they were only ten minutes from New York by air.
Instead of rushing to die in D.C., it was better to get to New York quickly and regroup with Steve and the team.
More importantly—though Luca didn't say it aloud—while both cities were in chaos, Hydra wanted to rule, so there was some order to their destruction. The otherworld invaders in New York just wanted chaos, so the damage there might be even worse.
Tony understood this too.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He tore his eyes away from the tragedy in D.C. and focused on New York.
"Can't reach Cap, can't reach anyone... JARVIS, access all cameras, video feeds, and satellite signals in New York. I want to know the situation there."
"Also, match Avengers member profiles and lock onto targets ASAP! Keep trying to hail Steve, Natasha, or Banner by any means!"
As Tony issued commands, the screen changed.
"Sir, power and network systems in New York are experiencing massive outages. Destruction caused by prison escapees is spreading across the city. The NYPD is organizing a counterattack."
JARVIS displayed feeds from various streets. NYPD officers, wearing tactical glasses and wielding Arbiter pistols, were maintaining order and fighting criminals.
Rioters were hit with EMP stun rounds. Violent thugs were taken down instantly by ion beams.
Superpowered criminals faced a barrage of ion decomposition spheres.
Tony glanced at Luca with surprise, but given the urgency, he didn't comment. He asked JARVIS:
"Where's Cap and the others?"
"Sir, facial recognition has not locked onto any Avengers members in available feeds..."
Tony's face darkened further.
He didn't believe the Avengers would sit idly by while New York burned.
Yet JARVIS found no trace of Steve and the others in the entire city's surveillance network.
Either it was bad luck due to network outages... or...
Tony dared not think further.
Suddenly, Luca stopped JARVIS.
"JARVIS, enlarge the top-left feed."
Although Luca gave the order, JARVIS, being intelligent enough to prioritize context, obeyed and maximized the feed.
The video showed a corner of a factory. A large group of white, chubby inflatable robots were running out in neat formation.
Seeing the logo on the robots, Tony looked at Luca again.
"Another Aurantius Industries product."
"Yeah, medical robots. A joint project with Harry's dad. They must have been deployed for rescue work."
Luca explained casually. He hadn't asked JARVIS to switch to this feed to admire his own robots.
He pointed at a figure on the screen—a pale, faceless, naked man who stood out starkly even among the Baymax robots.
"Look here!"