After withdrawing from Karl's farm, Nick Fury stood beside the vehicles, his expression dark.
He looked at the agents around him.
"You were neutralized by the shadow entities?"
One agent shook his head.
"No, Director. We were intercepted by a robot."
Fury's eye narrowed.
"A robot?"
"Yes, sir. Approximately nine meters tall. It transformed from the target's Lamborghini. We were incapacitated within seconds."
The surrounding agents nodded in agreement. These were operatives Fury trusted personally — brought along precisely to minimize HYDRA contamination.
Fury studied their faces.
They were shaken, but not lying.
"Log everything," he said quietly. "We're returning."
If their report was accurate, this was not Earth technology.
Which meant Karl might possess extraterrestrial assets… or access to off-world intelligence.
Either possibility elevated the threat level dramatically.
S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters
Upon returning, Fury went directly to Alexander Pierce's office.
If HYDRA had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D., the matter required immediate coordination with the World Security Council liaison.
If Karl had been present, he might have laughed at the irony:
Fury was about to discuss eliminating HYDRA… with HYDRA's leader.
Pierce had once directed S.H.I.E.L.D., elevated Fury to Director, and consistently supported his funding initiatives. Fury had little reason to suspect him — especially since Project Insight was still years from full deployment and only a single infiltrator had been exposed.
Fury knocked.
"Come in."
He entered and gestured subtly.
Pierce activated the office privacy shielding.
"What's wrong, Nick? You look tense," Pierce said, pressing the sound dampening control.
Fury spoke in a low voice.
"I've confirmed HYDRA infiltration within our ranks."
Pierce's heart skipped.
His hand drifted toward the pistol beneath his desk.
"…I thought HYDRA died in World War II," Fury continued. "But they're inside S.H.I.E.L.D."
Pierce relaxed — slightly.
So the exposure was limited.
Not him.
Not yet.
His expression shifted to grave concern.
"If that's true, we must investigate immediately."
Inside, he cursed:
Which incompetent operative got exposed?
Fury nodded.
"HYDRA's objective has always been global control. I'm launching an internal purge. I need your full support."
Pierce leaned forward.
"You have it. Do whatever you need. I trust you, Nick."
After Fury left, Pierce slammed his palm against the desk.
He disabled the privacy field and retrieved a secure phone.
A coded line connected.
"Fury has discovered low-level infiltration," Pierce said coldly. "Dispose of expendable assets. Sacrifice one mid-level operative if necessary. Increase operational caution."
"Yes, sir."
Pierce ended the call.
It was too early to confront Fury directly. Project Insight was still under development, and the helicarriers were incomplete. Killing Fury now would only result in his replacement by someone less controllable.
What Pierce did not realize was that Fury possessed an emergency asset capable of altering global power dynamics:
the pager that could summon Captain Marvel.
The Purge
Fury assembled Hill, Romanoff, Barton, and Coulson.
Arrests began immediately.
Suspects were detained.
Those who resisted were neutralized.
But Fury did not realize he was moving along a path HYDRA had anticipated.
Low-level operatives were exposed.
A mid-level agent detonated an explosive device rather than be captured.
Several S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel were killed.
Another operative attempted suicide via concealed toxin; Barton shot the device from his hand, capturing him alive — but Clint was injured in the blast.
The prisoner died shortly after reaching medical care.
Poison concealed within a dental implant had ruptured.
Fury stared at the report in silence.
Then he slammed his fist against the desk.
His office echoed with a string of unfiltered curses.
Meanwhile
Karl drove toward Queens in his Lamborghini.
He slowed only slightly within city traffic, though the vehicle's presence still drew attention. Heads turned. Conversations paused.
He ignored it.
When he reached May's neighborhood, he parked outside her house.
A supercar was an unusual sight in Queens — especially in front of a modest home.
Karl stepped out, holding a bouquet of blue roses.
Neighbors exchanged knowing glances.
They all knew May Parker — graceful, kind, and quietly resilient.
Seeing Karl approach her door with flowers made the situation clear enough.
He knocked.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
…