Facing the Lickers' harassment and assassination tactics, Hydra's assassins began to suffer severe physical and psychological damage.
Even the Hydra leader was not spared — the hallway battle had left his body extremely dehydrated.
The only silver lining was that this top-tier hotel's corridors weren't isolated, allowing both the Lickers and Hydra assassins to fight at full strength.
Throughout the hotel, countless corpses of ordinary people lay scattered across the floor.
However, the long-awaited rescue never came, making many suspect something deeper was going on. After all, Ivan Vanko had been broken out of prison by Justin Hammer using Hammer Industries' energy tech — and Hydra's European branch was said to be even more powerful.
The remaining Hydra assassins, all gravely injured, were now down to their last man — their leader — still standing through sheer willpower.
He slowly blasted open Nathan Hawke's hotel room door, only to see a man in a black trench coat standing with his back to him.
Without hesitation, the Hydra assassin opened fire.
Bullets ripped through the air — but then, to his horror, the man's body began to disintegrate before his eyes. His instincts screamed that the real enemy was right behind him.
A gunshot rang out.
The last Hydra assassin fell to the floor. Before dying, Wesker watched the man walk away with a faint smile — but Wesker didn't care. He turned and calmly walked toward his true target.
The Incident Escalates
"Director."
Maria Hill stood in Nick Fury's office, remote in hand, scrolling through a series of multimedia reports on the screen.
Fury took a sip from his cat-patterned mug of black coffee and said, "We'll talk when Coulson gets here."
"Lower it," he added.
Coulson entered in a crisp suit, nodding politely to Hill before turning to Fury with a pleasant smile.
"I'm not late, am I?"
Fury gestured for him to sit down.
Once seated, Coulson glanced between Hill and his boss.
"Hawkeye and Natasha are on assignment," Maria said. "So it's just the three of us today."
Coulson nodded and got right to work.
"First — these two photos."
The first showed a skull with a serpent emerging from its mouth, encircled by a red ring. The serpent's fangs were bared menacingly, exuding pure malice.
The second was a red-and-white umbrella design — the red top circular and bold, symbolizing strength and resolve, while the white and red panels formed a sharp, striking contrast.
"Hydra!" Coulson shot up from his chair, turning to Fury with visible alarm.
"Coulson."
Hearing Hill's calm voice, Coulson realized his outburst and quickly apologized. "Sorry. Got a bit carried away."
He sat again, but the fire in his eyes didn't fade.
"Last night, there was a mass killing at a luxury restaurant in Monaco. These two symbols were found at the scene," Hill explained. "According to multiple investigations, this might be part of a larger conspiracy. The Hydra emblem suggests they're involved."
"What about the other logo?" Coulson asked.
"Umbrella Corporation," Hill replied. "They operate in the U.S. pharmaceutical sector. Our agents traced them to various criminal activities — extortion, smuggling, even assassination — but found no solid evidence."
"Figures," Coulson muttered.
Fury sat silently, listening intently. He knew the mere mention of Hydra meant chaos and danger were close.
"What's the nature of this incident?" Fury asked, his expression tense.
"Preliminary reports show extreme violence — many casualties. It was a highly coordinated hit," Hill answered.
"An assassination? Of whom?" Fury asked, frowning.
"Nathan Hawke."
Fury's eyes narrowed. "I remember Stark got hurt in that explosion. How is he?"
"He's fine," Hill replied. "Natasha already updated me — I was going to tell you after the briefing."
"Good." Fury nodded for her to continue.
"Our intel analysts suspect someone's trying to manipulate or use Hydra remnants to kill Nathan Hawke. At the same time, Umbrella Corporation appears to be protecting him."
Fury leaned back, deep in thought. Even if it was just speculation, the possibility was enough to take seriously.
"Your reasoning?" Fury asked.
Hill nodded, switching the screen to another slide — a photo of several enhanced individuals.
"The Invisible Man, Super V, and Electro — three superpowered beings. We have reason to believe Umbrella Corporation created them."
Coulson interjected, "So if Hydra's remnants attacked Hawke in Monaco, that means they were trying to eliminate him and seize control of Hawke Industries… to secretly influence the world?"
Fury shook his head. "No. The real question is — who's leading Umbrella? I doubt Hawke's truly in charge. Maybe they planned to kill him and replace him with someone else — maybe even a shape-shifter."
Coulson froze — the thought of the Skrulls sent a chill down his spine. Fury noticed but didn't comment.
Hill continued grimly, "An undercover agent once reported that Umbrella's true leader is a man named Wesker."
"Wesker," Coulson murmured.
Fury slammed his hand on the desk. "Coulson — pay Umbrella a visit. Meet their chairman. Hill, send Merlin — the Iron Knight — to Hawke Industries. Tell him to find someone in security and fire prevention to assist."
"Yes, sir."
Umbrella Corporation Headquarters
Coulson stepped through the glass doors, past security. The lobby was vast and modern — marble pillars, a high ceiling, and a sense of restrained power.
The reception desk gleamed, glass and chrome reflecting the building's bright lighting.
Behind it, lush plants and minimalist art pieces added a touch of luxury. The Umbrella logo loomed overhead — bold and intimidating.
"Good afternoon, sir. How may I help you?" the receptionist asked politely.
Coulson showed his ID and credentials. "I'm Agent Coulson from a partner organization. I'd like to meet your chairman, Mr. Wesker."
The receptionist blinked in surprise but quickly composed herself. "One moment, please. I'll make a call."
Coulson smiled and nodded. "Of course."
After a short call, she said, "Someone will come to escort you upstairs shortly. Please wait in the lounge."
"Thank you," Coulson replied, heading toward the waiting area.
About twenty minutes later, a man in a security uniform approached.
"Agent Coulson?"
"Yes," he said, standing.
"I'm the head of security. I'll escort you to the chairman's office. May I ask if you're carrying any weapons?"
"No problem," Coulson said, handing over his sidearm.
The guard sealed it in a white security bag. "You can retrieve it from the front desk after your meeting," he said before leading Coulson through a staff-only corridor.
Finally, they reached the executive floor.
"Sir, the secretary will take you from here," the guard said.
"Thank you," Coulson replied politely, noting Umbrella's tight security and meticulous internal controls.
As he walked, he spotted discreet cameras, patrolling guards, and armored personnel — all signs of a company prepared for war.
He couldn't help but compare it to Hawke Industries.
"I'm really looking forward to meeting Wesker," he murmured.
The secretary greeted him with a smile. "Mr. Coulson, please go in. The chairman is waiting for you."
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