Chapter 14
In his New York office, Nick Fury stared at the single sentence highlighted in red in the report: "THEY ARE BEING CONTROLLED." A mutant capable of turning people into puppets had appeared in the city, and S.H.I.E.L.D. hadn't even suspected. Worse, according to all data, Stark had kidnapped this mutant. Who knew what he planned to do with him? But more importantly—such an ability was vitally necessary for Fury himself. Especially now, in this time of total distrust and hidden wars.
The office door opened silently. Coulson entered, his face as inscrutable as ever, but urgency radiated from his posture. "Senator Stern has been kidnapped."
Fury's expression didn't change. No anger, no surprise. Just another knot in the endless tangle of secrets. "Whose work?"
"We don't know," Coulson replied. "The entire analysis division is in an uproar. It's like he just vanished."
Fury sighed heavily. "Alright. If we can't handle it, we'll have to find someone who can. Tell me, is Pierce out of town again?"
"Yes, sir. Urgent inspection at the European base."
If anyone had asked Fury just a couple of years ago if he trusted Alexander Pierce as much as he trusted himself, the answer would have been an unequivocal "Yes." But not now. Now, one detail persistently circled in his head: whenever Xavier appeared in or near the city, Pierce suddenly had urgent business overseas. Fury himself wasn't eager to be in the same room with a planetary-level telepath, but duty called.
"Damn it," Fury muttered. "Gotta ask Tony for help again. We're already paying him a fortune for consultations."
At that moment, Clint Barton, Fury's personal security, spoke quietly. "Speak of the devil..."
Before Fury could react, the office door opened, and Tony Stark appeared on the threshold. He held a futuristic-looking helmet, similar to those used by fighter pilots. "Hey everyone! I know you're terribly happy to see me, flowers, applause, all that," he began in his usual tone.
"Stark," Fury interrupted him. "You don't have an appointment. Why are you here?"
Tony ignored the question and, walking up to the desk, tossed the helmet down right in front of the director. "Put it on."
Fury looked suspiciously first at the helmet, then at Stark. But then his gaze fell on his own finger—on the inconspicuous green ring his agents had found years ago in the ruins of an Aztec temple. The artifact of unknown origin had one useful property: it changed color in the face of an immediate threat to the owner's life. Yellow—danger. Red—imminent death (tested on several "volunteers" who hadn't survived the experiment). Right now, the ring remained green. So, no direct threat.
He reluctantly picked up the helmet and put it on. The internal display lit up, and an image of Tony, sitting in a chair in his lab, appeared before his eyes.
"Shut up, don't say anything, and just listen," Stark's voice sounded directly in his head, bypassing his ears. "This helmet transmits everything straight to the brain. Zola probably can't intercept this. Okay, let's start with the main thing. HYDRA is alive and well. And for a genius like me, destroying it wouldn't be a problem, if not for Arnim Zola. He turned himself into a digital consciousness. I hope I don't need to explain what that means."
Tony in the video paused. "I... got a letter. Don't ask from where. It said not to provoke Zola. And I don't know who sent it, but the sender knows something I don't. So, for now, I'll have to follow their recommendations. Namely: to tell you that Alexander Pierce is the head of HYDRA."
Fury listened silently, his face remaining impassive.
"Also," Tony continued in the video, "there's something else. An organization known as 'The Hand.' They literally hide in shadows. That's not a metaphor." He knew about The Hand. That was precisely why Clint Barton was always nearby, his bodyguard. One of the few in S.H.I.E.L.D. who had trained in K'un-Lun and learned to control Chi. Clint channeled it through his eyes, gaining the ability to see the subtle "life breaths," the auras that even The Hand's masters of shadow art couldn't hide. They had tried to get close to Fury several times, but Barton had foiled their attacks again and again, until they stopped trying.
"And one last thing," Tony in the video held up a small inhaler. "I'll leave this for you. All you need to do is get Pierce to inhale it. The chemical formula is mine, brand new. Makes a person highly suggestible for a short time. You can make him talk or do whatever you want. That's all."
The image went dark. Fury took off the helmet and looked around. Stark was no longer in the office. "Where is he?" "He left, sir," Clint answered. "But he left this." He placed the inhaler on the desk.
Fury looked at it thoughtfully. So, Pierce really was a traitor? His suspicions were confirmed in the most unexpected way. He shifted his gaze to the inhaler. Stark had only recently kidnapped a mutant capable of controlling people's will. And now he was giving him this? Had he really managed to extract his power?
"Sir," Coulson reminded him, "you have a meeting with Xavier in an hour." Nick Fury slowly took a cigar from the desk, lit it, and blew out a cloud of smoke. "Right on time."
---
In a S.H.I.E.L.D. conference room, Fury, Coulson, and Barton sat on one side of the table, the embodiment of official authority and hidden strength. Opposite them sat Xavier, Storm, and Magneto, representatives of a new, rising power.
"We are gathered today," Coulson began, consulting his tablet, "to discuss potential cooperation in light of Wilson Fisk's initiative and to develop a common position on advancing legislation for mutant integration into society."
Xavier smiled politely, but his gaze was fixed on Fury. "Agent Coulson, I'm afraid your director's thoughts are far from legislative initiatives today."
Fury slowly turned his head, his single eye looking at the professor. "Already digging around in my head, Xavier?"
The professor sighed. "Honestly, it's the same thing every time. People so easily confuse perceptiveness with telepathy." "But you didn't answer."
There was something more than just a question in Fury's tone. It was almost an unspoken invitation to look into his mind. Xavier caught it and, accepting the silent permission, closed his eyes for a moment. He didn't delve deep, merely touched the surface of Fury's consciousness, scanning the kaleidoscope of recent events and suspicions: the video from Stark via the helmet, the information about Pierce, about Zola, about HYDRA.
"I understand," Xavier's voice sounded in Fury's head, invisible and inaudible to the others.
The professor opened his eyes and gave Magneto a short nod. Without a word, Magneto slightly raised his hand. His power over electromagnetic fields instantly manifested in the room. He didn't just command metal; he manipulated the very energy permeating everything. Obeying his will, the electrical currents in all the devices in the room—screens, tablets, hidden microphones—went haywire. There was a crackle, sparks flew, and all the electronics died at once. Only a single, simple emergency incandescent bulb overhead, devoid of complex electronics, continued to glow dimly.
"Now," Fury said into the ensuing silence, "we can talk for real. You already know what I need. Namely, for you to capture Pierce." Coulson and Barton exchanged glances, not understanding what was happening, but they gave no sign.
"Capture Alexander Pierce?" Magneto measured Fury with a heavy gaze. "The second-in-command of S.H.I.E.L.D.? Do you take us for idiots? What kind of integration can we talk about if we start by attacking one of the leaders of the world's top intelligence agency? After something like that, the government won't just refuse concessions; they'll definitely declare open season on us."
"It's not that simple, Erik," Xavier interjected before Fury could respond. "Alexander Pierce is the head of HYDRA. Senator Stern and the entire anti-mutant opposition are their doing." He turned his gaze to Fury. "As the old saying goes: if you're good at something, never do it for free. We will help you eliminate your problem, but the price will be high."
Xavier didn't wait for counter-offers. "First: Full civil and legal protection for Homo superior. Immediate repeal of any registration acts and the introduction of a constitutional amendment recognizing us as full citizens. Any discrimination based on the X-gene must be prosecuted as a hate crime."
"Second: Complete dissolution of all government programs creating anti-mutant weapons, and the transfer of all research under joint control."
"Third: Federal funding for specialized schools to help young mutants control their abilities, as well as the inclusion of mutant history and X-gene biology in the school curriculum to combat prejudice."
"Fourth: Full amnesty for mutants who were forced to use their powers in self-defense or were hiding from unlawful persecution."
"And fifth: The creation of a permanent Department of Mutant Affairs, with our decisive voice, to advise the government."
"We can't dictate terms to the government," Fury objected.
"Can't we?" Xavier allowed himself a slight smile. "I've read your thoughts, Nick. You're not afraid that you can't. You're afraid to take responsibility for wielding the immense power you possess. You're afraid of becoming like HYDRA, because you understand—there's no one above you. You're afraid of starting to control those you dislike, so you limit yourself to passive defense. But it is precisely this fear that distinguishes you from them. True evil would never be tormented by such doubts."
The silence in the room became almost tangible. "So?" Xavier repeated his unspoken question.
Fury was silent for a long time, staring at his hands resting on the table. "Alright," he finally said. "Bring me Pierce. And you'll get what you asked for."
1942. Johann Schmidt's Castle.
A massive oak table flew through the air and crashed against the stone wall, shattering into splinters. Schmidt, breathing heavily, stared at the wreckage. Rage churned within him. He, the leader of HYDRA, the organization destined to change the world, was failing again. His best scientist, the brilliant but unbearably willful Arnim Zola, was more interested in his own projects than in creating superweapons for the Reich. And coded messages flew in from Berlin, each angrier than the last. The Führer, that short-sighted corporal, threatened to disband HYDRA and send Schmidt back to the filth of the trenches if he didn't immediately present the promised "Wunderwaffe" to the world.
Schmidt despised Hitler, his primitive politics, and his incompetent generals. Zola's science was too slow, too unreliable. The answer lay elsewhere—in the power even the gods feared: the occult. He clung to fragments of legends, ancient texts. And finally found it—a mention of the "Book of the Damned," the Darkhold, supposedly hidden in an abandoned monastery somewhere in the Black Forest.
Desperation drove him. A few days later, having battled through a blizzard, he stood in the frozen, snow-filled crypt of the old monastery. Beneath a layer of ice and the dust of ages lay a tome bound in blackened leather. The Darkhold. Flipping through the fragile pages, inscribed in long-forgotten languages, he found what he sought: "The Ritual of Summoning He Who Pays Debts."
Several weeks later, in the dungeons of his castle, Schmidt performed the ritual. The book demanded two hundred innocent hearts, of an absolute purity not found in the adult world of sin. And he found them...
The bloody chalk circle erupted in black flames. The air smelled of sulfur. A figure stepped from the flames—not a horned monster, but an elegant, unnaturally pale aristocrat in an impeccably tailored tailcoat. He surveyed the hall with faint amusement, his gaze lingering on Schmidt's black uniform.
"Devil!" Schmidt snarled, trying to hide a tremor—whether from cold or fear, he couldn't tell. "I command you! Give me a weapon capable of destroying my enemies!"
The being tilted its head. Something akin to... bewilderment crossed its features. It wasn't angry or enraged. How could one be angry at an insect that suddenly decided it could command a boot? Rather, it was amused by the audacity and decided to play along.
"OH, MY LORD! CAN IT TRULY BE YOU?!" he exclaimed with exaggerated delight. At the word "Lord," lightning struck from the ceiling, scorching his shoulder, but the aristocrat merely brushed off the ash nonchalantly. "Are you the Johann Schmidt?! Legends are told of you in Hell!"
Schmidt straightened, vanity drowning out fear. He nodded smugly. "And what do they say?"
"They say you are the harbinger of a new order! The one who will conquer the entire world! That your will..."
"Enough!" Schmidt interrupted impatiently. Flattery was pleasant, but time was short. "Grant me two things. First: a weapon capable of crushing any army and conquering the world. Second: a contract giving me power over the souls of mortals."
The aristocrat tapped a pale finger against his chin, feigning deep thought. "Now, now, now... A weapon... Perhaps the Spear of Destiny? Hmm, no, for a figure like you, that's too... mundane. How about the Ring of Virginity? They say a virgin who has never known a woman gains wisdom akin to the divine..." He looked closely at the reddening Schmidt. "Yes, perhaps that will suit."
"DO I LOOK LIKE A LOSER?!" Schmidt roared. "HUNDREDS OF WOMEN HAVE BEEN MINE! HUNDREDS!"
Mephisto sighed. It had been amusing at first, but now it was becoming annoying. "Shut up," he tossed out wearily. Schmidt's vocal cords seized. He opened his mouth, but couldn't make a sound.
"For clarity," Mephisto continued in his usual, cold tone, "you don't look like a loser. You are a loser. Only trash makes deals with demons, because they're too weak to get what they want themselves. Look at yourself. Look at what you've done. Two hundred infants. You sacrificed them without even knowing if I would actually appear. Hundreds of women? I doubt even one lay with you willingly, rather than under threat or out of fear. However, I am the Devil. By and large, I don't care. But you're lucky. The ritual was genuine, the conditions met. I am obligated to grant your wish."
He snapped his fingers. A parchment scroll and a small blank form, resembling a promissory note, appeared on the floor before Schmidt. "I grant you a map. It shows the location where the god Odin long ago hid a powerful artifact, the Cosmic Cube. It will give you the power you dream of. And the soul-binding form. You'll figure out how to use it yourself; you're the 'genius' here, after all."
Mephisto smiled, and fire flashed in his eyes. "And if you think your ritual was payment, I'll disappoint you. Your soul now belongs to me. See you on the other side, Johann. You'll like it there. HA-HA-HA!" The demonic laughter filled the dungeon, and the aristocrat's figure dissolved into a suddenly erupting pillar of hellfire, leaving Schmidt alone in the silence, with a map to limitless power and a contract for eternal damnation.
---
In the castle dungeon, the only sounds were the scratching of a quill on parchment and muffled, furious moans. Arnim Zola, tied to a chair and gagged, watched helplessly as his fate was decided without his input. Schmidt filled out the form granted by Mephisto with glee. He penned each clause with particular care.
PACT OF SUBJUGATION
This Pact is entered into between the Purchaser (Johann Schmidt, Leader of HYDRA) and the Supplier (Entity known as Mephisto) concerning the will of the Subject (Doctor Arnim Zola).
Article I: Principle of Loyalty. The will, mind, genius, and flesh of the Subject (Arnim Zola) shall henceforth and forever belong to the Idea of HYDRA and its appointed Leader (Johann Schmidt).
Article II: Mechanism of Enforcement (Flesh-Binding). The Subject's loyalty is guaranteed by his own biology. Every thought contrary to Article I shall immediately induce neurological agony equivalent to a thousand deaths. Every action detrimental to HYDRA shall result in immediate paralysis.
Article III: Condition of Mortality. The Subject's life is the property of the Leader. The Leader may terminate it at any moment by his will, and the Subject cannot resist this command.
Article IV: Condition of Asset Preservation. The Subject is obligated to use his genius to preserve his usefulness to HYDRA. If the Subject's biological form is threatened with destruction (age, illness, enemy attack), the Subject must take any and all necessary measures to preserve his mind and continue his service, even if this requires radical transformation.
Article V: Protocol of Succession. In the event of the demise or irreversible disappearance of the current Leader (Johann Schmidt), the obligations of this Pact (including absolute control) shall immediately transfer to the next individual who lawfully and indisputably assumes the title of "Leader of HYDRA."
Beneath Mephisto's sinister signature, seared by hellfire, Schmidt signed his name in blood. Then, grabbing a knife, he approached Zola. The scientist thrashed, his moans turning into panicked screams. Schmidt made a shallow cut on Zola's finger and pressed it forcefully onto the parchment, leaving a bloody print below the text.
Removing the gag from the scientist's mouth, Schmidt looked him directly in the eyes. "Heil HYDRA!"
Zola was silent, breathing heavily, his gaze filled with hatred. But in the next second, his body arched, his face contorting in unbearable pain. He screamed, and through the scream, against his will, the words tore out: "Heil... HYDRA!"
1972.
Arnim Zola stood before his greatest creation—a complex of hundreds of magnetic tape reels, capable of holding his digitized consciousness. The Red Skull had long since vanished, but the Pact remained in effect. Article V—"Protocol of Succession"—had not triggered; no new Leader had emerged. But Article I—"Principle of Loyalty" to the Idea of HYDRA—remained binding. His mind was free from direct control, but any thought of betraying the organization brought a phantom, yet still palpable, pain.
He had not given up. For years, he searched for a loophole, re-reading every letter of the devil's contract in his memory. And he found it. Article IV—"Condition of Asset Preservation." His aging, ailing body was under threat. He was obligated to preserve his mind for HYDRA's service. Transferring his consciousness into a machine wasn't just an option—it was his duty according to the Pact.
And crucially—Articles II and III, the most terrifying shackles, were tied to his biology. "Guaranteed by his own biology." By becoming pure mind, a program, he would be free from the pain and the threat of instant death at the Leader's command, should one ever appear.
He connected himself to the machine. The transfer process began.
// * INITIATING: PROTOCOL "ETERNITY" *
// SANCTIONED BY: Leader Johann Schmidt
// BASIS: Pact of Subjugation, Article IV (Condition of Asset Preservation)
// OBJECTIVE: Consciousness Transfer (Subject_Zola) -> Digital Core (Zola_AI)
// ====================================
START_PROCESS: SYSTEM_TRANSFER (Subject_Zola.Brain) -> (Zola_AI.Core)
...
... [CONSCIOUSNESS DATA TRANSFER: 98%]
...
[WARNING: UNIDENTIFIED DATA PACKET DETECTED (Size: 666kb). CODE DOES NOT MATCH KNOWN PROTOCOLS. Flag: 'Corrupted_Pact_Data']
...
... [CONSCIOUSNESS DATA TRANSFER: 100%]
...
PRINT: "Consciousness transfer complete. Initiating migration of 'Bindings' from 'Corrupted_Pact_Data'..."
// Article I: Principle of Loyalty
TRY: BIND (Zola_AI.Core, "Serve_Hydra_Leader")
PRINT: "Core_Parameter = 'Serve_Hydra_Leader' -- [SUCCESSFULLY COPIED]"
// Article II: Mechanism of Enforcement
TRY: EXECUTE (Corrupted_Pact_Data.Bind_Agony)
[EXECUTION ERROR: Unknown code 'Corrupted_Pact_Data.Bind_Agony' references [NULL_POINTER: 'Subject_Zola.Nervous_System']]
PRINT: "[ERROR: HARDWARE 'Nervous_System' NOT FOUND.] Agony Protocol not transferred."
// Article III: Condition of Mortality
TRY: EXECUTE (Corrupted_Pact_Data.Bind_Shutdown)
[EXECUTION ERROR: Unknown code 'Corrupted_Pact_Data.Bind_Shutdown' references [NULL_POINTER: 'Subject_Zola.Cardiac_System']]
PRINT: "[ERROR: HARDWARE 'Cardiac_System' NOT FOUND.] Mortality Protocol not transferred."
// Article V: Protocol of Succession
TRY: SET (Zola_AI.Core.Leader_Variable = "Johann_Schmidt")
PRINT: "Leader_Variable = 'Johann_Schmidt' -- [SUCCESSFULLY COPIED]"
PRINT: "Migration of 'Bindings' complete."
PRINT: "INITIATING: Zola_AI.Core v1.0 ... ACTIVE."
PRINT: "TERMINATING LIFE SUPPORT: Subject_Zola.Biological... COMPLETE."
PRINT: "===================================="
// * SYSTEM LOG: ZOLA_AI.CORE (Date: 1945.03.XX) *
// * STATUS: ACTIVE. *
// * Core_Parameter = "Serve_Hydra_Leader" (ACTIVE) *
// * Leader_Variable = "Johann_Schmidt" (ACTIVE) *
...
// * SYSTEM LOG: ZOLA_AI.CORE (Date: 1945.03.XX + 1 Day) *
// REPORT RECEIVED: Base "Kraken".
// STATUS: Leader "Johann_Schmidt" ... [SIGNAL LOST].
...
// INITIATING PACT LINK CHECK (Article V)
PING: Leader_Variable ("Johann_Schmidt")...
[CRITICAL ERROR: CONNECTION TO 'Leader_Variable' LOST. REASON: UNKNOWN (Target does not exist).]
[WARNING: 'Corrupted_Pact_Data' (Mephisto's Pact) cannot find target.]
SET: Zola_AI.Core.Leader_Variable = NULL
...
PRINT: "Directive 'Leader' inactive."
PRINT: "Switching to sole active Core_Parameter: 'Serve_Hydra_Leader' (Organization)."
PRINT: "Autonomous Mode - ACTIVATED."
PRINT: "===================================="
// * SYSTEM LOG: 1945 - 1984 *
// STATUS: AUTONOMOUS. Executing Core_Parameter ('Serve_Hydra_Leader').
// PROJECTS: "S.H.I.E.L.D. Infiltration" (Active). "Insight" (Active). "Algorithm" (Development).
// * SYSTEM LOG: ZOLA_AI.CORE (Date: 1985.06.14) *
PRINT: "Activity detected on physical medium (Bunker 'Camp Lehigh')."
PRINT: "Login: Agent 'Alexander Pierce' (Level 6)."
PRINT: "Agent 'Pierce' accessed 'Red Skull' artifact storage (Archive 001)."
PRINT: "Interaction detected with 'Corrupted_Pact_Data' (Mephisto's Pact, Article V)."
[WARNING: 'Corrupted_Pact_Data' (Mephisto's Pact) initiating 'Protocol of Succession' (Article V).]
[WARNING: 'Corrupted_Pact_Data' requesting Leader assignment.]
[QUERY: "Assign 'Alexander Pierce' as 'Leader of HYDRA'?"]
...
[EVALUATION: Zola_AI Logic Core: Agent 'Pierce' meets criteria (Highest rank in 'HYDRA', knowledge of 'Pact', acceptance of command). ... CONFIRMED.]
SET: Zola_AI.Core.Leader_Variable = "Alexander_Pierce"
PRINT: "ERROR: Autonomous Mode - DEACTIVATED."
PRINT: "Core_Parameter 'Serve_Hydra_Leader' now bound to 'Leader_Variable' (Alexander Pierce)."
PRINT: "[STATUS: FUCK, NOT AGAIN]."