Alexander Pierce's apology sounded very calm.
But...
Sharp and decisive!
Gwen on the other end of the phone was slightly taken aback, then looked at the phone that had already been hung up and blinked.
The next second.
Shit!
Realizing what was about to happen, Gwen's face changed, rarely cursing as she leapt from the sofa, barefoot, grabbing her phone and sprinting towards the safe house in the basement.
Once again.
She was no delicate, naive girl; she was the daughter of a sheriff, a woman who under George's influence subscribed to gun magazines weekly and enjoyed reading professional police reports in her spare time.
However, Gwen wasn't planning to confront the situation head-on like last time.
First.
Hawk had said last time that such actions would not be allowed again; she listened to him.
Second.
If Hydra dared to do this, it meant Hawk intended to join the side of justice. At this critical moment, when Hawk was set to become a superhero, she didn't want to cause him to miss his shining moment because of her.
So...
Hawk, go be a superhero, save the world.
She arrived at the basement almost at a run, then entered the code, quickly opened the heavy safe house door, and locked it tightly with thirty-five mechanical locks from inside before Gwen finally breathed a sigh of relief, pondering silently.
In fact, Gwen was not wrong.
Alexander Pierce, after hanging up the phone, sternly instructed the Hydra agent captain beside him: "Take action, capture Gwen Stacy, this is our only chance, it must succeed, it must not fail."
He had already learned from the S.H.I.E.L.D. surveillance center about Hawk moving towards Japan.
Earlier, Ophelia hanging up his phone further confirmed this point.
And the continuous loss of contact reports from various bases just up by the Hydra agent captain, along with the crimson flashes seen before the contacts were lost, pointed to one conclusion.
Hawk was eliminating their members at a pace of one base every five minutes and rapidly approaching them.
That call was the last measure he took.
After all—
The launch of the three Insight Mother Ships was imminent; once their launch succeeded, he would be undefeated under the Divine Spirits.
He could not allow failure at this critical moment.
Hawk would not succeed either!
Ultimately, Alexander Pierce was never a good man.
The most crucial point.
Hawk already knew that Anna was an impostor.
So...
If it's death either way, why not gamble?
If he did nothing, he would face a complete defeat this time, but if they captured Gwen Stacy, there was a chance for success.
Alexander Pierce admitted he was willing to gamble.
Unfortunately, he forgot that there's a saying.
It goes—
The gambler, the gambler, gambles till he has nothing left!
Just as the Hydra agent beside him nodded, taking out a phone to activate the two heavily armed teams outside Palm Street capable of breaking the door in ten seconds.
Bam!
Black Widow Agent Natasha, disguised as the Paris Councilor, moved.
She performed a flying armbar and slammed the gun-holding, arms-crossed Hydra agent in front of her to the ground with a thud, then quickly snatched his gun just when the Hydra agent captain dialed the phone, pulled out his handgun, and prepared to shoot.
Bam!
The Hydra agent captain's head jerked back, shot dead by Natasha.
The next second.
Lying on the ground, Natasha squeezed one Hydra agent with her thighs while firing her sidearm repeatedly at the remaining four Hydra agents who reacted.
With the gunshots, four Hydra agents of various shapes, moving differently, fell to the ground.
The Eastern Country Councilor quickly joined the battlefield, grabbed a handgun, aimed at Alexander Pierce who instinctively bent over, and firmly said, "Don't move!"
Alexander Pierce frowned, ignoring the Eastern Country Councilor, watching the Paris Councilor slowly rising from the ground.
Natasha rose slowly from the ground and looked at Alexander Pierce: "You're really despicable, Pierce."
Speaking, Natasha tore off her wig, revealing her true face, cold eyes looking at Alexander Pierce.
Although she didn't know what was going on either.
But...
For Alexander Pierce to go as far as kidnapping the Demon King's Shackles showed that Hawk was no longer a bystander and had gotten involved.
Moreover, standing with them, S.H.I.E.L.D.
So...
In such a situation, letting Alexander Pierce dial the phone could not be allowed.
Alexander Pierce smiled at Natasha revealing her true self.
"Natasha."
"Unfortunately, your plan to coerce Hawk by kidnapping Gwen Stacy won't happen."
"Doesn't matter."
"My Insight Mother Ships have already taken off."
Alexander Pierce smiled and turned to look outside the large floor-to-ceiling window.
In sight.
With the roar of large engines, the three Insight Mother Ships loaded with insight algorithms were gradually lifting off through the exit, rising towards their designated positions.
Visibly, Captain America and the Winter Soldier were fiercely fighting aboard one of the Mother Ships.
It was quite evident.
Captain America was dominating.
Getting beaten.
After all, this time Captain America and Natasha have the help of New York S.H.I.E.L.D, but they lack the winged Falcon, plus he already knows that the Winter Soldier is his good buddy Bucky.
So...
Captain America, who is always evenly matched with everyone, naturally got pressured by the Winter Soldier when he intentionally held back.
Natasha glanced over, her expression unchanged, looked at Alexander Pierce, and her words were somewhat piercing: "When Hawk arrives, none of your plans will come to fruition, and Hawk is precisely the one you pushed to our side."
Alexander Pierce looked at Natasha expressionlessly: "You understand nothing!"
Did he want to offend Hawk?
No.
He didn't want to, but unfortunately, he had two foolish teammates who insisted on putting him in the same boat from the start.
Whether it's Strucker's clones or Zola's clones, once exposed, they're doomed to die.
At that time, there was only one way.
Rely on Anna, deceive Hawk, and pray Hawk never finds out.
They indeed succeeded.
They also failed, but they've reached a point of no return.
So...
If he could do it over, he'd surely kick out those two foolish teammates immediately.
Alexander Pierce thought to himself.
Natasha raised an eyebrow, sensing other meanings in Alexander Pierce's words: "What else have you done to Hawk?"
Alexander Pierce's face turned unsightly.
Just then.
With a booming roar, everyone in the conference room turned their heads to look outside.
In sight.
A thick thunderbolt crackled and instantly appeared, followed quickly by a Divine Spirit, glowing brightly in the thunderous appearance.
"Boom!"
Accompanied by Thor dressed in thunder battle armor, appearing over the Insight Mother Ship, he swung his Mjolnir onto the command layer of the Insight Mother Ship, and a golden light enveloping the ship flashed by, causing ripples.
But...
The mother ship remained intact, not even moving,
As Natasha watching from inside turned pale and looked at Alexander Pierce.
"Vibranium Shield!"
"Yes."
Alexander Pierce laughed lightly: "This is why Project Insight was postponed until now. In this world, besides Hawk, even Thor cannot shake the Vibranium Shield's defense."
Natasha's lips curled into a mocking smile: "Hawk is already on his way."
Alexander Pierce fell silent.
Yes.
Hawk is on his way.
Just then.
The voice of Commander Victoria Hand came through Natasha's hidden earpiece: "Tony has arrived too."
As the words fell.
Boom! A red light streaked across the sky, and Iron Man Tony Stark landed in a classic pose on another Insight Mother Ship.
Immediately after.
Tony Stark's voice was directly patched into the secret communication system opened by Commander Hand.
"What should I do?"
"Override the control program, that's your specialty."
"Understood."
In his Iron Battle Armor, Tony Stark nodded: "Jarvis!"
Jarvis responded immediately.
Sharon's voice was full of surprise: "Commander, did you contact Thor and Tony?"
The faraway Commander Hand in New York City looked at the arrival of The Avengers' Big Three, her expression relaxed a bit: "Tony was contacted by Colson, he has Pepper Potts' private number and reached Tony in Korea."
"Then Thor..."
"Hawk sensed Thor as he passed through New Mexico, and after separating from Hawk, came here."
"Hawk came too?"
Leading the S.H.I.E.L.D Agents into fierce combat with Hydra Agents, Sharon was even more delighted: "Hawk has joined the scene."
Commander Hand looked at the big screen, showing the S.H.I.E.L.D Base lighting up again one by one, listening to the surviving agents contacting S.H.I.E.L.D everywhere smiled and said: "Yes, Hawk has joined the scene."
Sharon revitalized: "Where is Hawk now, has he arrived?"
As Commander Hand was about to speak, another voice echoed in the command center.
"West Virginia S.H.I.E.L.D Branch Level 6 Agent Jack Mass reporting to the commander."
"Phoenix just saved us."
With the liberation of the West Virginia S.H.I.E.L.D Branch, the screen showed all states leading to the Special Zone lit up completely.
Commander Hand's eyes lit up.
"Hold on a little longer, Phoenix is arriving soon."
"Too..."
"Not soon."
"It's already arrived."
Confronting Alexander Pierce, Natasha's eyes fell on a rainbow light rapidly speeding towards them and spoke up, and then turned to look at Alexander Pierce.
"Hawk has arrived."
"You've lost!"
"…"