Chapter 152: The Total Collapse of Project Insight

Even at this juncture, Pierce remained stubbornly defiant. "Because you are the finest and most ruthless man I have ever known."

Nick Fury replied slowly, "I am doing everything in my power to protect the people."

Pierce countered, "My enemy is your enemy, Nick."

S.H.I.E.L.D. was not singular; the branch belonging to the Red Skull was not the true Hydra. They were merely worshippers of Hydra, failing to qualify even as true members of Hydra.

Pierce explained, "Chaos, war—sooner or later, Moscow will launch nuclear missiles at us. Their targets will be Chicago or Washington. Diplomacy is nothing more than buying time, a way to muddle through."

With immense disdain, Pierce continued, "Where did I come to understand this? Central and North America."

"You did not ask; you simply did what you had to do. Sacrifice two million lives to save seven billion."

"If you can summon the courage to take that step, then this will be the next phase of the plan, Nick Fury."

Pierce's plan was glaringly obvious: eliminate the enemies, seize the Earth, and rule over those seven billion people.

"No, I have the courage *not* to take that step."

Nick Fury pulled Pierce toward the massive holographic display.

"Initiate iris scan."

"What do you think you're doing?"

Pierce said, "Did you really think I would forget to revoke your authorization?"

Nick Fury said earnestly, "I knew you would purge my access codes, but there should still be scan logs left behind. If you do not wish to die before I do, Mr. Secretary, please open your eyes wide."

Nick Fury lifted his eyepatch, revealing the eye blinded by a cat's scratch.

Shortly after, following the scan, Level A authorization was confirmed, and the security protocols were disengaged.

***

"Black Widow is upstairs."

Upon receiving the report from his subordinate, Crossbones instantly understood the gravity of the situation.

"Leave her to me."

Seeing Crossbones hurrying toward the World Security Council chamber, Hill immediately notified the Falcon.

"Falcon."

"Go ahead."

"Rumlow is heading to the Council."

Receiving Hill's message, the Falcon immediately responded, "Leave it to me."

He leaped down from the Helicarrier, following Hill's directions, and crashed through a glass window. Utilizing the momentum of his glide, he delivered a flying kick straight at Crossbones.

Crossbones blocked with both arms, yet was still sent skidding backward, dropping the gun in his hand.

The Falcon strode directly forward, preparing to take Crossbones down for good, only to be ambushed as Crossbones surged back to his feet, landing a heavy punch square on his nose.

Rubbing his aching nose, Crossbones sneered, "In the world Hydra is building, there are no criminals, only order."

Wiping the blood from his nose, the Falcon stripped off his wing harness and replied, "Order is forged out of suffering."

Those wings would only restrict his movements in the confined interior, so he discarded them.

"Are you ready to suffer?" Crossbones challenged the Falcon.

The Falcon snapped back, "Shut your damn mouth."

With that, the two men unleashed a flurry of punches, throwing everything they had into each other. Blow for blow, fist to flesh, they clashed like two bulls in a ring.

Crossbones needed to finish this as quickly as possible, rendering his assault utterly feral.

On the other side, the Falcon refused to yield an inch, raining savage blows down upon Crossbones.

At that moment, they resembled two champions in a prize ring, locked in a brutal test of sheer willpower and determination.

Elsewhere, Captain America and the Winter Soldier had completed their mission, and Hill ordered them to evacuate immediately.

The two men stood at the edge of the Helicarrier, exchanged a single glance, and then slid down the icy slope hand in hand.

The Helicarriers were not devoid of Hydra elites; indeed, they had been deliberately stationed at the most critical posts.

Upon obtaining their roster, Hill discovered that under their operation, the carriers had already begun establishing satellite links. Shortly, the satellites would execute Project Insight. If Hydra were allowed to wrest back control then, they would be able to open fire.

Their targets might be high-ranking government officials, a child's father, a primary school student, or an infant crying for milk.

Once a target was confirmed, right or wrong, they would be executed without hesitation.

Left with no choice, Hill resolved to thoroughly destroy the Helicarriers, stopping them from striking their targets by any means necessary.

Since there was open water below, the crash of the airborne carriers would not spell doom for everyone.

First, she shut down all weapons systems aboard the Helicarriers, intending to completely reclaim control before initiating a reboot.

She entered a sequence, bypassing the structural support beams of the carriers, targeting the propulsion bays, weapon systems, and control rooms directly, and issued the launch command.

Indeed, the control rooms of all three carriers were entirely manned by Hydra operatives.

Hydra would never entrust such vital sectors to S.H.I.E.L.D. loyalists.

Suddenly, the Hydra operatives watched in shock as their targets vanished, replaced by themselves.

They stared at one another in bewilderment. What was happening?

Hill pressed the firing key, and the heavy artillery cannons aboard the Helicarrier opened fire without a moment's hesitation.

In an instant, the propulsion systems of the carriers were obliterated. The massive vessels steadily lost power, their buoyancy no longer sufficient to keep such colossal bulks aloft, and they began a slow, inexorable descent.

Witnessing this, Pierce sighed and remarked, "Such a waste."

The Black Widow asked him, "Do you still doubt that Steve will win?"

Pierce drew a remote controller from his pocket and told the Black Widow, "We must be going. Madam Councilwoman, this way."

It was then that the Black Widow realized the councilwoman attire she wore concealed a bomb pinned to her chest.

"You will pilot the aircraft to get me out of here."

Feigning submission, the Black Widow walked ahead.

Believing his scheme had succeeded, Pierce smiled triumphantly and even gave Nick Fury a casual wave.

Nick Fury took a deep breath, knowing it was time to settle things with Pierce once and for all.

"Pierce, do you know? There was a time I would have willingly taken a bullet for you."

Pierce glanced back with a confident smirk, mocking Nick Fury, "You already have. And when necessary, you would do it again."

Seizing the moment while his head was turned, the Black Widow drew a pair of shock paddles, pressed them together with all her might, and delivered a high-voltage shock that rendered her unconscious. At the same time, the electrical discharge scrambled and disabled the bomb's control system.

Seeing the Black Widow collapse to the floor, Pierce was utterly stunned. He stared in disbelief as the programming on his handheld device plunged into an automated reboot.

"What?"

Nick Fury spun around instantly, drew his pistol, and opened fire on Pierce with decisive resolve.

Aiming straight for Pierce's chest, Nick Fury pulled the trigger multiple times, extinguishing any remaining breath of life.

And just like that, Alexander Pierce, leader of a generation of Hydra, perished entirely.

Nick Fury rushed over to Pierce, scooped up the Black Widow, and called out to her with desperate urgency.

"Romanoff! Natasha! Wake up, please wake up!"

The Black Widow slowly fluttered her eyes open and muttered, "That thing really hurts."

Elsewhere.

Panting heavily, Crossbones wheezed, "You never stood a chance, kid."

The Falcon propped himself up, looked at Crossbones, and smiled faintly.

"But..."

Agent 13 emerged from the shadows with a pistol in hand, fired several rounds straight into Crossbones, and put him down permanently.

"He wasn't fighting alone."