Meanwhile, on the top floor of the S.H.I.E.L.D. New York branch, Alexander Pierce adjusted the temporary prosthetic attached to his arm before accepting an incoming secure transmission.
Moments later, five holographic displays materialized around his office, each showing a representative seated before him.
The elderly Asian representative in the center spoke first, his voice stern.
"Alexander Pierce, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s recent actions have gone far beyond United Nations oversight. I must formally condemn your conduct."
"As Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., you are ordered to immediately suspend all armed operations."
"Well..."
Pierce smiled politely.
"Mr. Liu, please don't worry. These are strictly internal S.H.I.E.L.D. operations. They will never extend beyond American territory, especially not across the Pacific."
"And please send my regards to Mr. Zheng Xian. I still remember the tomato and scrambled egg dish he made for me fifteen years ago. I've never found one that tasted quite the same."
His expression became serious as he looked toward the remaining representatives.
"As for the rest of you, let me repeat this one last time."
"This is an internal operation to eliminate traitors inside S.H.I.E.L.D."
"As embarrassing as it is to admit, Hydra has infiltrated the organization ever since its founding."
"That infection has now spread throughout major American cities through S.H.I.E.L.D.'s network. Even former Director Nick Fury and Acting Director Maria Hill have been compromised."
"More importantly, I possess evidence that Hydra has infiltrated the White House itself. Even the President is one of Hydra's members."
"Because of that, I will use every resource available to S.H.I.E.L.D. to eliminate this threat as quickly as possible."
"Hydra is an enemy of humanity."
"Our operations are entirely justified."
"So why is everyone so nervous?"
Without waiting for a reply, Pierce dismissed the holograms himself.
He had no interest in wasting time arguing with the United Nations.
Standing nearby, Jasper Sitwell nervously swallowed before offering him a glass of red wine.
Pierce accepted it with his prosthetic hand, took a small sip, and asked,
"Have you learned anything about the people following Axel?"
Sitwell wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Nothing."
"They're ghosts."
"There are no birth records, financial records, school records, or government files."
"They simply don't exist."
"To be precise, Axel, Deadpool, and the others appear to have arrived from another universe."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Pierce."
"I couldn't find anything else."
"I understand."
Pierce nodded thoughtfully.
"This world contains countless secrets."
"Perhaps they truly came from another universe."
"Perhaps our world is only a comic book where they come from."
"It doesn't matter."
"We lack the means to uncover the truth."
"What matters is that they know exactly who we are."
"They exposed Hydra's existence inside S.H.I.E.L.D., and I cannot allow that to continue."
"Fortunately, Axel's last visit forced me to prepare earlier than expected."
"Project Insight isn't ready yet, but a full-scale uprising is."
"We may not win."
"But we still possess many powerful cards."
"The White House only lasted fifteen minutes."
"Our nuclear launch capability remains intact."
"The conditions for negotiating with the world are already in place."
"Now the only obstacle left..."
He smiled coldly.
"...is that troublesome group of masked heroes."
Pierce rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Other than Axel, none of them concern me."
"Even those three visitors from another universe are little more than advanced armored soldiers."
"But Axel..."
He paused.
"I don't enjoy admitting it, but he deserves my respect."
"He defeated the Hulk."
"That creature was supposed to become our trump card aboard the Helicarrier."
"Instead, Axel rendered him useless before our plan could even begin."
"It cost us the Helicarrier."
"But that's behind us."
"Our cause has finally reached its greatest opportunity in nearly seventy years."
He pressed several controls on his desk.
A dozen new holographic windows appeared.
Unlike the previous conference, everyone remained standing.
Each wore a tailored military-style uniform that projected authority.
The elderly white-haired man on the far left frowned.
"Alexander Pierce."
"The New York branch's actions have triggered a worldwide chain reaction."
"You should have warned us."
"There wasn't time."
Pierce answered calmly.
"Axel and his companions exposed us."
"Hiding serves no purpose anymore."
"And we no longer need additional resources."
His attention shifted toward the center display.
"Baron Strucker."
"I trust your weapons are ready."
"We already possess enough political and military influence."
"What we need now is overwhelming superhuman strength."
"You understand how much trouble someone like Captain America can create."
Strucker nodded.
"Yes, Secretary Pierce."
"Ordinary Hydra forces cannot effectively deal with enhanced individuals."
"That is why I requested the Mind Stone Scepter."
"As I reported three days ago, our experiments have successfully produced two highly stable enhanced subjects."
"They departed for New York shortly after receiving your orders."
"They will arrive within ninety minutes."
"Excellent."
Pierce smiled.
"New York requires more enhanced soldiers."
"I hope your creations become one of Hydra's greatest assets."
He then turned toward another hologram composed entirely of shifting code.
"Dr. Zola."
"Project Insight isn't complete."
"But the targeting database should be."
"I want the information on the ten thousand highest-priority targets."
"If satellite strikes aren't possible yet, manual elimination will suffice."
"The world's elites will resist us."
"They must disappear."
Zola's mechanical voice echoed through the room.
"The database has already been distributed to Hydra cells around the world."
"Operations may begin immediately."
"Our cause has reached its most important milestone."
"However..."
"We must continue treating Axel as the greatest variable."
"Every system eventually fails because of unexpected variables."
"I know."
Pierce's expression stiffened.
"No one understands Axel better than I do."
"None of you lost an arm because of him."
"I did."
"I have never felt more powerless."
"When even nuclear weapons might not stop someone..."
"The only thing left to do is smile."
He emptied the rest of his wine before looking back toward Strucker.
"The Mind Stone Scepter."
"Did your enhanced subjects bring it?"
"They did."
"It is aboard the same aircraft."
"Good."
Pierce nodded with satisfaction.
"Those two enhanced humans will be Hydra's gift to the Avengers."
"As for the Mind Stone Scepter..."
"That will be my gift to Axel."
"He already possesses the Cosmic Cube."
"Perhaps he'll be willing to negotiate."
"And even if he refuses..."
"It will at least demonstrate our sincerity."
"Our psychological profile suggests Axel isn't a traditional hero."
"If anything..."
"He may be an even bigger bastard than we are."
He slowly stood.
"Gentlemen."
"Wish me luck."
"Hail Hydra."
"Hail Hydra!"
Every hologram answered in unison.
Just then, one of the representatives hesitated before speaking.
"Secretary Pierce... perhaps we could use the Obelisk against Ax..."
"Watch your words."
Pierce interrupted immediately.
"Axel tore my arm off."
"But he is not our enemy."
"And I'm grateful for that."
"What you call a possibility is nothing more than a reckless gamble."
"If it fails..."
"Who among you wants to deal with an unstoppable Axel?"
Silence filled the conference.
"Since I was the one who raised Hydra's banner..."
"You will follow my plan exactly."
"My plan."
"The meeting is over."
One by one, the holograms disappeared.
Meanwhile, aboard a passenger jet flying from Europe to New York, a white-haired young man looked nervously at the red-haired woman sitting beside him.
"Sis..."
"Do we really have to obey them?"
The young woman wearing a crimson trench coat intertwined her fingers to hide her anxiety.
"We can't forget what happened."
"And we don't have another choice."
Although her voice sounded composed, this would be her first real mission.
She had barely begun learning how to control her new abilities.
Her brother failed to notice her nervousness.
Instead, her confidence reassured him.
He slowly exhaled.
"You're right, Wanda."
"We have to avenge Mom and Dad."
"Tony Stark has to pay."
"I was nervous before..."
"But everything is different now."
"I never imagined they could actually give us powers."
"Thinking about what we can do now almost makes me forget everything we suffered."
His expression darkened.
Eight years earlier, when he and Wanda were only six years old, their homeland of Sokovia had been devastated by civil war.
Their home was destroyed during relentless shelling.
Their parents died instantly.
Only the twins survived.
For nearly a week, they remained trapped beneath the rubble beside their parents' bodies.
A second missile crashed through the ceiling.
It never exploded.
Instead, it remained suspended above them, threatening to detonate at any moment.
Starving, terrified, and surrounded by death, the two children spent seven days staring at that missile while the bodies of their parents lay beside them.
They remembered every detail.
The smell.
Their parents' final expressions.
And the single word printed across the missile's casing.
STARK INDUSTRIES.
When the fighting finally ended, the twins wandered through one abusive institution after another until Hydra eventually found them.
They became trainees.
Only seven days ago, they were selected alongside nearly two hundred other children for Strucker's experiments.
Only the two of them survived.
In return, they gained extraordinary powers.
Before they could even complete their training, they were placed aboard a plane bound for New York.
The white-haired young man slowly clenched his fists.
His eyes filled with determination.
"We'll never forget."
"We'll never forgive Stark Industries."
"They're in New York."
"I've never been there."
"Maybe the city won't welcome us..."
"But I'm going to like it."