Chapter 20: Alexander Takes the Fall

"New York is in quite an uproar now," Daniel chuckled as he read the latest news on his computer. Borrowing so much high-tech equipment and involving major arms companies inevitably created a significant commotion.

S.H.I.E.L.D., the FBI, the CIA, and the military were all mobilized. In the hacker community, a hefty reward was offered for any relevant information. New York's underworld was also in chaos, as various factions were raided, temporarily improving the city's order.

Daniel had anticipated this. He always respected the power of the state. Without the Sling Ring, he wouldn't have caused such a stir; it would have been suicidal. If the state really wanted to investigate something, it could always find clues.

But with the Sling Ring, the situation was different. Unless a Kamar-Taj sorcerer was involved in the investigation, there was no way to trace it back to him. Even if a sorcerer got involved, they wouldn't need this kind of technology.

Without any worries, Daniel gathered all the necessary equipment at once. No one would suspect a single person; they would assume a large organization was behind it. Given the tight security at the arms companies, it was impossible for an ordinary person to pull this off.

In fact, Daniel had considered leaving Hydra symbols at the scene. While it wouldn't significantly impact Hydra, it would certainly give them a scare.

Daniel's actions had already startled S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Alexander Pierce. To him, only Hydra could execute such a well-coordinated heist. So, Pierce urgently contacted other Hydra leaders, fearing they were behind it. Hydra was currently in a dormant phase, and any exposure could spell disaster.

Alexander knew Nick Fury's capabilities well. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s growth under Fury was unprecedented. If Hydra were exposed now, Fury would relentlessly hunt them down.

To avoid the Hydra name reaching Fury and triggering him, Hydra had secretly eliminated numerous fake Hydra organizations over the years. It wasn't unusual for people to impersonate Hydra, given its reputation.

"Director," Maria Hill and Black Widow entered Fury's office at the Triskelion in Washington, D.C. Hill placed a report on Fury's desk.

"Found any leads?" Fury asked while signing documents.

"Not a trace," Natasha Romanoff replied, shaking her head.

"Are you sure?" Fury asked again.

"I've contacted all my sources; there's nothing," Natasha confirmed.

"Strange," Fury mused.

For Fury, tracking the stolen equipment wasn't the priority. He needed to know who did it and how.

"The FBI and CIA have no leads either," Hill said as Fury looked at her.

"We've deployed all satellites and tracked all vehicles at the time of the incident. Still nothing."

"This is interesting. There aren't many organizations capable of such a feat," Fury said thoughtfully.

Hill and Natasha remained silent. They understood Fury's implication but knew better than to speak it aloud. S.H.I.E.L.D. could pull off such a heist, as could the CIA, FBI, military, and some foreign organizations.

"Keep investigating," Fury ordered. After they left, Fury called Alexander Pierce.

"What's got you calling?" Pierce's holographic image appeared on Fury's screen.

"You've heard about recent events, right?" Fury asked.

"Of course. Any leads?" Pierce replied.

"None at all," Fury said.

"How is that possible?" Pierce's surprise was genuine.

"It's the truth. I suspect internal involvement; otherwise, we should have found something by now."

"Internal investigation? Isn't that unnecessary? We conduct annual internal checks," Pierce protested. "You know how disruptive this will be."

"I understand. But this incident, with no leads so far, suggests internal collaboration," Fury explained, trusting Pierce enough to share his thoughts.

"Well, if you think it's necessary, we should do it," Pierce reluctantly agreed, maintaining a supportive facade.

He knew Fury too well. Opposing this would only raise suspicion. Fury, despite his respect for Pierce, was inherently distrustful. Opposing an obvious step would be counterproductive.

"Fine, but let's keep it low-key. A full-blown investigation will create more issues," Pierce suggested, buying time.

Currently, Hydra wasn't as entrenched within S.H.I.E.L.D. as it would be later. A large-scale internal check would expose them.

Killing Fury was out of the question. Without Fury, S.H.I.E.L.D. would be safer for Hydra, but the organization wouldn't expand its influence.

Fury was indispensable for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s growth. Under previous directors, including Pierce himself, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s influence had diminished. Nobody liked having another boss, even if it was a U.N.-backed organization. The FBI and CIA resented S.H.I.E.L.D. for usurping their authority.

Without Fury, S.H.I.E.L.D. wouldn't be as powerful, and consequently, neither would Hydra.

"Damn it," Pierce cursed after hanging up. He needed to give Fury a plausible lead to end this quickly.

"It's for Hydra's glory," Pierce muttered, finding a scapegoat within his ranks—a Level 7 S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. He knew a total disassociation from S.H.I.E.L.D. was impossible. This needed a convincing fall guy.

Finding a non-Hydra scapegoat was riskier without enough blackmail material. Choosing one of his own was simpler; they could be coerced into suicide, leaving behind fabricated evidence.

A few days later, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents discovered high-tech equipment for sale in South Africa. A raid ensued, with the culprits attempting to blow themselves up.

There were some discrepancies, but Hydra's influence within S.H.I.E.L.D. quickly patched them. Fury, though suspicious, accepted the resolution due to its plausibility and moved on to other pressing matters. S.H.I.E.L.D. had too much on its plate to focus on a theft case, even one involving billions of dollars.

If Stark Industries hadn't been involved, S.H.I.E.L.D. might have left it to the FBI. Not even Daniel knew that Alexander Pierce took the fall for him, sacrificing a senior agent, a strike team, and billions of dollars.

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