Chapter 78

Zola hummed with satisfaction as he settled into the aircraft. The escape from his soon-to-be-destroyed base had been executed flawlessly, leaving those meddlesome Kamen Riders to deal with the aftermath. A notification flashed across his digital interface, confirming the complete obliteration of the facility.

"Excellent," Zola mused to himself, his pixelated face forming a smirk. "Now, to set the next phase in motion."

With a mere thought, Zola initiated a secure communication link to Alexander Pierce. The face of HYDRA's most influential leader appeared on the screen, his expression a mix of curiosity and impatience.

"Zola," Pierce greeted curtly. "I trust your relocation was successful?"

"Indeed, Herr Pierce," Zola replied, his German accent still present in his digitized voice. "The base has been destroyed, along with any evidence of our operations there. However, recent events have necessitated an acceleration of our plans."

Pierce's eyebrows raised slightly. "Go on."

"I believe it is time to initiate Project Insight," Zola declared. "I have completed the targeting algorithm for the Helicarriers. Despite the setback of their theft by the Kamen Riders, we can still proceed with our original plan."

Pierce leaned back in his chair, considering the implications. "That's quite a bold move, Zola. Are you certain we're ready?"

"More than ready," Zola assured him. "But there is a complication we must address immediately. My calculations indicate that someone within SHIELD has discovered HYDRA's infiltration."

Pierce's eyes narrowed. "Who?"

"Nicholas Fury," Zola stated, his tone laced with disdain. "He has always been too perceptive for his own good. If left unchecked, he could unravel everything we've worked for."

Pierce nodded slowly, understanding the gravity of the situation. "What do you propose?"

"Eliminate him," Zola said without hesitation. "Fury must be removed from the equation before he can alert others or mount any kind of resistance."

Pierce stood up, pacing in front of the screen. "Agreed. I'll set things in motion immediately. We'll use our most effective asset for this task."

"The Winter Soldier," Zola concluded, a note of pride in his voice.

"Precisely," Pierce confirmed. "He's never failed us before. Fury won't stand a chance."

Zola's digital face flickered with satisfaction. "Excellent, Herr Pierce. Once Fury is dealt with, we can proceed with Project Insight unimpeded. The world will soon know the order that HYDRA brings."

"Indeed it will, old friend," Pierce said, a cold smile spreading across his face. "I'll contact you once it's done. Hail HYDRA."

"Hail HYDRA," Zola echoed as the communication link closed.

As the aircraft continued its journey to a secure HYDRA facility, Zola allowed himself a moment of reflection. Decades of planning were finally coming to fruition. Soon, the world would be reshaped according to HYDRA's vision, with him at the forefront of this new era.

The Kamen Riders, arrived back at Fury's safehouse, exhaustion etched on their faces. Ace, Natasha, Jin, and Horobi filed into the main room where Fury awaited them, his one good eye scanning their defeated postures.

"I take it things didn't go as planned," Fury said, his tone even but tinged with disappointment.

Ace stepped forward, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "Zola was ready for us. The whole facility was rigged to blow."

Natasha nodded, adding, "We barely made it out. Zola escaped, and we lost all traces of him."

Fury's jaw tightened. He paced the room, hands clasped behind his back. "This is a significant setback. Zola's more cunning than we anticipated."

Jin and Horobi exchanged glances before Jin spoke up. "He seemed to be expecting us. It's possible our intel was compromised."

Fury stopped pacing, his eye narrowing. "That's a concerning thought. We'll need to reevaluate our security protocols."

The room fell into a tense silence as the weight of their failure settled over them. Ace leaned against a wall, frustration evident in his clenched fists. Natasha sat at a nearby table, her fingers drumming an anxious rhythm.

After a moment, Fury sighed. "It couldn't be helped. Zola's been playing this game for decades. We'll regroup and find him again."

Hill and Coulson, who had been quietly observing from the corner, stepped forward. Coulson spoke first, his voice steady despite the setback. "We'll head back to SHIELD, see if we can pick up Zola's trail again."

Hill nodded in agreement. "We'll comb through every bit of data we have. There might be something we missed."

Fury gave them a curt nod. "Good. Get on it immediately. We can't afford to let Zola slip away again."

As Hill and Coulson prepared to leave, Fury turned to the Kamen Riders. "You all need rest. We'll reconvene once we have new information."

Ace pushed off the wall, determination replacing his earlier frustration. "What about you, Fury? What's your next move?"

Fury's lips quirked in a half-smile. "I've got a few errands to run. Can't put all our eggs in one basket."

He gestured to four Humagears standing silently in the corner. They stepped forward, their movements fluid and precise. "These Humagears will accompany me. A little extra security never hurts."

The Kamen Riders watched as Fury and the Humagears made their way to a nondescript car parked outside. As they drove away, Ace couldn't shake the feeling that Fury was planning something big.

Inside the safehouse, the remaining team members began to disperse. Jin and Horobi retreated to a corner, speaking in hushed tones about potential strategies. Natasha approached Ace, her expression somber.

"We'll get him next time," she said, placing a hand on Ace's shoulder.

Ace nodded, his eyes still fixed on the door Fury had exited through. "I hope so. But I can't help feeling like we're missing something important."

Nick Fury sat in the back of the heavily fortified SUV, his one good eye scanning the streets of New York through the tinted windows. The vehicle, disguised as a normal SUV, moved smoothly through traffic, piloted by one of the Humagears he had brought along for additional security.

His phone buzzed. Fury glanced at the screen, his jaw tightening imperceptibly as he saw the caller ID: Alexander Pierce. He answered, keeping his voice neutral.

"Pierce," Fury said, his tone carefully measured.

"Nick, old friend," Pierce's voice came through, warm and familiar. "How are you holding up in these trying times?"

Fury's mind raced, even as he maintained his composure. He knew Pierce was Hydra now, and the casual friendliness in the man's voice grated on him. Years of trust and camaraderie, all built on lies. It took every ounce of his considerable self-control not to lash out.

"Oh, you know me, Alex," Fury replied, his voice betraying none of the contempt he felt. "Always keeping busy. What can I do for you?"

As Pierce launched into what seemed like idle chatter, Fury's thoughts turned cynical. He mocked Pierce silently in his head, imagining the smug look on the man's face as he played at being a concerned friend while plotting Fury's downfall.

"You know, Nick," Pierce said, his tone shifting slightly, "I've been thinking about our long friendship. It's been quite a journey, hasn't it?"

"That it has," Fury agreed, his guard up. Something in Pierce's voice had changed, and he didn't like it one bit.

"I'm afraid, though," Pierce continued, his voice taking on an ominous edge, "that all journeys must come to an end. Even the longest friendships can't last forever."

Fury's eye narrowed. This was it - Pierce was showing his hand, however obliquely. "Is that so, Alex?" he said, his voice cool.

"I'm afraid it is," Pierce replied. "Goodbye, old friend. Take care of yourself."

The line went dead. Fury lowered the phone, his mind racing. Pierce's words were clearly a threat, but what-

His thoughts were violently interrupted as something slammed into the side of the SUV. The Humagear driver swerved, barely keeping control as Fury braced himself against the seat.

"What the hell?" Fury barked, looking out the window. His eye widened as he saw multiple police cars converging on them, their sirens blaring.

The lead car rammed them again, and Fury caught a glimpse of the driver's face. It wasn't a cop - it was a face he recognized from SHIELD files. Hydra.

"Evasive maneuvers!" Fury shouted to the Humagear driver.

The SUV lurched forward, weaving through traffic as the Hydra agents in police vehicles gave chase. Fury's mind raced, connecting the dots between Pierce's ominous goodbye and this sudden attack. He'd known Hydra's move was coming, but he hadn't expected it so soon.

As the SUV sped through the streets of New York, pursued by the false police cars, Fury reached for his hidden weapons. He had a feeling this was going to be a long day.

***

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