In the spacious and bright office of the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Pierce threw a stack of newspapers on the table with a slight anger. He heard a knock on the door and turned around to see Nick Fury standing outside the door.
"Come in." Pierce sighed.
"What's wrong? Director." Nick asked.
"Have you seen the news this morning?" Pierce walked to his desk and sat down, tapping the table with his index finger and said: "Iron Man's appearance caused a great sensation, and people are speculating about his identity.
True identity, but do you still need to guess?"
Nick immediately understood what Pierce meant. He said: "I think this is Tony Stark putting pressure on us. We are not ready to release the news about the resurgence of Hydra yet. If Iron Man announces it first,
, it will be difficult for us to control public opinion."
"That will be a big stain in my career." Pierce said with a gloomy face and his eyes looking straight ahead: "The United Nations has suspended my joining. They want to know who the mysterious enemy SHIELD is dealing with in Eastern Europe.
And Stark has caused such a big commotion in the country, causing internal and external troubles."
Pierce looked up at Nick and asked, "Any new developments in the interrogation of that Rodriguez?"
Nick nodded to him and said: "I was about to say this. On the way to transfer him, the laboratory department had already scanned his physical condition and found nothing abnormal. However, during the interrogation process, we found that he
I’m afraid he’s not an ordinary person.”
"Of course he is not an ordinary person!" Pierce raised his voice and was dissatisfied with Nick's nonsense. He stared into Nick's eyes and said: "He is even important enough for the military and the FBI to erase all traces of his existence. He
There is definitely a shocking secret, and Hydra got him first."
"Sorry, Director." Nick lowered his head and said, "I mean it's been seven days since we arrested him and interrogated him. During this period, he didn't eat anything or drink a drop of water, but he was still fine.
The fatigue method has no effect on him."
Pierce's brows knitted into knots and he said, "You mean he might be a reformer, like Captain America?"
"It is very possible that we have estimated his age, and his childhood was when the military was obsessed with experiments on human modification. This can also explain why we cannot find his information in any database.
He may have been socially dead."
Pierce sighed, turned his head away, patted his hands on the armrests of the office chair and said: "Stark wants us to take him to court, but we can't do that. He will reveal all these things. When the time comes,
The military and the FBI will also give us trouble."
"We are always wiping their butts." Nick shook his head and said, "Ninety percent of the modified humans who cause trouble in the Federation are the products of military experiments."
"The key is that he is still a Hydra." Pierce grasped the armrest and said: "The day he stands in court, the news that Hydra is not dead will spread throughout the world, SHIELD will become the biggest laughing stock, and I
You can't tolerate my late death, Nick."
"Of course, Director, your contribution to this world is obvious to all, but it would be another matter if he could provide us with enough clues to wipe out the Hydra group in Eastern Europe."
Pierce waved to Nick and said, "Go ahead and tell him that I will talk to him alone in three hours. That will be his last chance."
Pierce's final note was full of murderous intent, but he didn't see the cold light flashing on Nick's face when he turned around.
In Stark's office, the secretary poured a cup of tea for Colson and then left. When Stark walked into the laboratory, he looked up and down at Colson in a suit and sighed: "I didn't expect you to be a bit of an agent."
What does he look like, James Bond?"
Coulson smiled helplessly and said, "I thought you were going to call me slime and slug, Mr. Stark."
"That's what I was about to say." Stark rolled his eyes imperceptibly, sat across from Coulson in his suit and said, "What did you come to me for this time? What do you want me to give you again?"
Days of time, so that you can coo at that Hydra and get some information to make up for your mistakes? There is no time, man, there is a limit to my tolerance."
"That's not the case this time." Coulson smiled and said to Stark: "Of course it is related to this, but I am not here on behalf of Director Pierce this time."
Stark frowned slightly, Coulson rubbed his hands, put his forearms on his knees, leaned forward and looked at Stark seriously and asked: "Mr. Stark, do you know the next S.H.I.E.L.D.
Who is the director?"
Stark lowered his eyes and hummed softly and said: "I'm not interested in your internal strife. I just want someone to do the work, and do it better."
"Nick Fury will be the next director of S.H.I.E.L.D. They originally started handing over work a month ago, but S.H.I.E.L.D. launched an attack on Hydra in other countries, preventing Director Pierce from being promoted to the United Nations smoothly.
Safety department."
Stark leaned back and said with a clear gesture: "You mean to tell me not to cause trouble and send Pierce away quickly so that your leader can become the director of SHIELD?"
"There are benefits to this, right? Once Nick Fury becomes the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., that Hydra can immediately get the punishment it deserves." Coulson stretched out a finger and said: "Director Pierce for
If we don't let ourselves be in danger, we will definitely scrutinize Hydra until we get some results to explain to the public and the United Nations."
"But Nick Fury doesn't have this worry. He doesn't need this Hydra's intelligence. He can also carry out his own work, and he will do it better than Director Pierce."
Coulson looked at Stark and said: "Nick Fury has always preferred a fair trial. Once he obtains the position of director of SHIELD, we will let all Hydra stand in court and face trial."
Stark admitted that he was moved.
Pierce may be desperate for his future, but as long as he leaves, Nick will let Schiller go to court and accept a legal trial. It is better than falling into the hands of Pierce, the smuggler.
But then Stark suddenly realized that something was wrong. Pierce was worried that the resurgence of Hydra might put him in danger, so there was no need for him to announce that Schiller was a Hydra from the beginning, only that he was an ordinary terrorist.
This matter has been covered up.
But first he told Stark that Schiller was a Hydra, and then he attacked Hydra with great fanfare in Eastern Europe. Now he started to say that if the world knew that Hydra had not been eliminated, it might put him in danger later in life. Isn't this self-righteous?
Contradictory?
He could have pretended not to know anything and went to the United Nations on time to take up his post. After leaving office, he could have left the blame for the disaster and the resurgence of Hydra to Nick.
Stark felt his head hurt again. He instinctively felt that this might also be the result of the game between Pierce and Nick. So what did it mean for Coulson to come to him now?
Coulson took a sip of water, looked up at Stark again and said, "Mr. Stark, we don't tell secrets. When you were in Afghanistan, Nick Fury had determined your whereabouts and was about to send someone
When people were being rescued, Chief Pierce took the first step."
The amount of information in this passage caused Stark's brain to start running at high speed. He knew that if nothing unexpected happened, Nick was already in control of the situation, and Pierce was already planning to be promoted to the United Nations and leave.
If Nick had already found out his whereabouts at that time, did he also find out something else that made Pierce dare to reveal Schiller's identity in a hurry to clear his relationship?
The more Stark thought about it, the more he thought it was possible. Although in his opinion, Pierce's disguise was perfect, it was not impossible for Nick, as someone who had close contact with Pierce, to detect something.
In this way, Pierce's series of actions can be explained clearly. Nick may have started investigating when Stark announced his disappearance and found some clues about Pierce's plan.
Pierce realized that he might be exposed, so he immediately took over his work, and then obtained Stark's specific location by monitoring Schiller, rushed there as quickly as possible, and announced the results of Nick's investigation to everyone.
To prove that you are rigorous in your work and have a righteous heart.
Although Stark is not very proficient in this kind of struggle, he has seen some of it. Generally speaking, after the first-in-command makes a mistake, as long as he punishes the second-in-command in charge of the execution with a thunderous attitude, the matter can be easily exposed.
It is the legendary "three cups of self-punishment".
In order to prevent Nick from following the clues to find him, Pierce flew to Afghanistan and put all the blame on Schiller to end the case. This was an emergency response to the crisis.
But this naturally brings about bigger troubles. With Nick watching, Pierce must take a heavy blow against the group of Eastern European Hydras that Nick found out, otherwise he will still be unable to clear his suspicions. But once this happens,
This matter will definitely be investigated by the United Nations, and his path to promotion will also be in trouble.
The more Stark thought about it, the more he felt that the whole thing was connected. This was most likely a trap carefully set by Nick for Pierce. Pierce would be easily uprooted by Nick if he did nothing. Pierce would have to influence himself if he wanted to clear up the relationship.
career.
Stark suddenly realized, how could he be the only smart person in the world? Nick Fury may have noticed something was wrong with Pierce.
Stark vaguely recalled that he had heard his father Howard mention the name Nick Fury, but he only said that he was an excellent soldier. But since he can survive from World War II to the present, he is definitely more powerful than imagined.
To be smart.
Thinking of this, Stark breathed a sigh of relief, and the big stone that had been weighing on his heart was finally put down. Fighting alone, facing the devil, and cooperating with another smart teammate are completely different pressure states.
But Colson's next words made his heart lift again.
"In order to reverse the unfavorable situation for his promotion, Director Pierce now wants to wipe out all the Hydras in Eastern Europe. Nick Fury, under his orders, is severely interrogating the only Hydra we have captured."
"But he is very strict with his words. Several agents took turns interrogating him for a week, but they did not get any useful information. But you can rest assured that Director Pierce will not let him continue to talk harshly in order to get results."
Coulson stood up and said: "Mr. Iron Man, you will definitely want to see the murderer of this murder stand in court and receive justice. In order to ensure that he can still stand in court alive, you must give Director Pierce
A little bit of other hope.”
"for example?"
"For example, Iron Man is willing to help SHIELD solve the trouble caused by Hydra and provide Director Pierce with the results he wants to appease the public."