Chapter 905

Nick Fury had a headache.

He still hadn’t figured out who had leaked the information, but one thing was certain: Umbrella had boarded the Lemurian Star and learned about Project Insight.

The USB drive Natasha had brought back sat directly in front of him.

He couldn’t decide whether to examine it.

If he ignored it, he would remain uncertain about the integrity of Project Insight. But if he opened it, how could he know whether Umbrella had tampered with the files?

What if they’d deliberately inserted false information? Acting on corrupted intelligence could lead to a catastrophic mistake.

And that wasn’t even the worst possibility.

What if Umbrella had planted some ridiculously sophisticated computer virus?

He could plug the drive into his workstation, only for every computer in S.H.I.E.L.D. to turn into a glorified music player, endlessly blasting some obnoxious four-four dance track.

Imagine trying to run a global intelligence agency when every briefing room was playing electronic dance music.

Fury rubbed his forehead.

Umbrella. Project Insight. Tampered information...

He couldn’t shake the feeling that these things were connected somehow. There was a pattern just beyond his grasp, something he was close to understanding but couldn’t quite put into words.

BANG!

His office door suddenly flew open.

Captain America stormed inside, his shield strapped to his back and an expression of barely restrained anger on his face.

He didn’t bother with a greeting.

"Do you ever tell the truth?!"

Fury’s train of thought crashed.

He leaned back in his chair and covered his forehead with one hand.

Unbelievable.

He’d almost worked it out.

Almost.

If he’d still possessed the temper of his younger days, he would have challenged Rogers to an unrestricted fight right there.

Three minutes.

That’s all it would take to have the old soldier on his knees begging for mercy.

Unfortunately, Fury had developed considerably more patience over the years.

"I haven’t lied to you," he replied, taking a measured breath. "Agent Romanoff was assigned a different objective from yours."

"Didn’t you have an obligation to tell me?"

Steve’s anger hadn’t diminished.

He had commanded the rescue operation. Yet one of his own operatives had been following orders he knew nothing about, carrying out an entirely separate mission and appearing in places he hadn’t expected.

It had made coordinating the operation unnecessarily difficult and introduced serious complications at several critical moments.

"I don’t have an obligation to share everything with you."

"People could have died because of this, Fury."

"Which is why I sent the best soldiers available to save them."

"A military unit depends on mutual trust. An army depends on a unified chain of command. You can’t have everyone running around doing whatever they want and firing in different directions!"

The two men stood glaring at each other.

Their disagreement wasn’t particularly surprising.

A career soldier and the head of a global intelligence agency approached problems from fundamentally different perspectives.

Steve cared about operational coordination, mission success, and the safety of his people.

Fury cared about intelligence, secrecy, and controlling the flow of information.

Both had reasonable arguments.

Neither was particularly interested in conceding.

Then Steve mentioned trust.

Something in Fury snapped.

He turned around and planted both hands on his desk.

"The last time I trusted someone, I lost an eye!"

His voice carried more bitterness than he’d intended.

I trusted that bastard.

He’d treated the man well when everyone else had turned away. When others looked at him with suspicion, Fury had been the one to offer support. He’d defended him, stood beside him, and genuinely believed they shared a bond.

And what had that trust earned him?

A missing eye.

The betrayal had come so suddenly that he hadn’t even understood what was happening until it was too late.

Motherfucker.

Fury took another breath.

"But how am I supposed to command people when everyone under me is doing something different? One operative disappears because of a secret assignment, another follows orders I don’t know about, and suddenly I’m expected to coordinate an operation without knowing what half my people are doing!"

"That’s called compartmentalization."

Fury’s expression returned to its usual impassive state.

"Nobody leaks information because nobody knows everything."

It was a principle he’d followed throughout his career.

He’d never considered it a flaw.

If anything, the recent incident with Umbrella had convinced him that S.H.I.E.L.D.’s compartmentalization wasn’t strict enough. In the future, particularly sensitive information would need to be divided even further.

Break it into smaller pieces. Separate the pieces. Make sure nobody could reconstruct the whole picture.

"Except you, right?"

Steve gave him a humorless smile.

"Everyone only knows what you think they need to know. Take me, for example. I still don’t know where Peggy is or what she’s doing."

Fury’s expression stiffened.

"My fiancée has disappeared into some mysterious assignment, and apparently I’m not even supposed to know about it."

Steve’s voice rose.

"Is that something I don’t deserve to know either?"

Strictly speaking, this was the real source of their conflict.

Peggy Carter had told Steve she was returning to her hometown to visit relatives.

Steve had believed her.

He was an honest man. When someone he trusted gave him an explanation, he generally accepted it.

But three days later, he’d started thinking about it.

Something didn’t add up.

What relatives did Peggy even have left in her hometown?

The only family member she regularly visited was her niece.

And her niece lived directly across the hall from them.

The last time Steve had encountered her, she’d nearly given him a heart attack.

If Peggy wanted to see her, why would she need to travel all the way back home?

Steve had quickly concluded that Peggy must have accepted another secret assignment from S.H.I.E.L.D.

He understood her reasons.

The world was still dangerous, and Peggy had always been devoted to protecting it. If she wanted to come out of retirement and contribute her experience, he wasn’t going to stop her.

He probably couldn’t stop her even if he tried.

But as her fiancé, he thought he deserved to know what was happening.

So he’d gone straight to Fury and demanded an explanation.

Fury had denied everything.

He’d insisted that Peggy wasn’t someone who could simply be ordered around. She was a senior figure within S.H.I.E.L.D., practically an institution in her own right. Nobody could casually assign her a mission without her consent.

And, as far as he knew, he had nothing to do with it.

Steve hadn’t believed a word.

In his mind, Fury’s explanation translated into something much simpler:

Yes, I know exactly where she is. Yes, I’m responsible. And no, I’m not going to tell you. What are you going to do about it?

Now that Steve had brought up the matter again, Fury could only stare at him with the expression of a man being falsely accused of a crime.

For once, this really isn’t my fault!

Unfortunately, he couldn’t prove it.

And even if he could, Steve probably wouldn’t believe him.

He certainly couldn’t explain that Peggy had joined a secret oversight group investigating S.H.I.E.L.D. itself.

Nor could he mention that she’d been spending considerable time with Evenson Richter next door.

Did he really want to trigger another Avengers-style civil war?

Wait.

Why had he thought of another one?

Fury rubbed his face.

Somehow, he’d managed to get himself tangled in a situation where every explanation made things worse.

He finally exhaled.

Steve’s trust in him was approaching rock bottom.

If he wanted to keep the world’s most famous super-soldier working for S.H.I.E.L.D.—for free, no less—he needed to make a concession.

"You’re misunderstanding me, Rogers."

Fury straightened.

"I’m a reasonable man. I share information when necessary."

He gestured toward the door.

"Come with me."

The two men walked toward the elevator.

But when the doors opened, Fury found himself looking at a face he really didn’t want to see.

"What are you doing here?"

He glanced at the newcomer.

"We’re not holding a buffet dinner today."

"That’s unfortunate."

Evenson Richter stood inside the elevator.

He’d decided to visit S.H.I.E.L.D. after Sarah returned from her mission. He didn’t have any particular business here, nor was there anything urgent he needed to accomplish.

He simply wanted to take one last look around.

The building.

The organization.

The increasingly unstable institution that had employed him for so long.

He’d collected a considerable number of paychecks from S.H.I.E.L.D. over the years. Despite everything, he felt a little attached to the place.

It seemed worth visiting while things were still relatively peaceful.

"Actually, I came to see you."

Evenson looked at Fury.

"I wanted to ask whether you could pay me this month’s salary in advance."

He paused.

"And if possible, I’d also like to collect a few months’ salary ahead of schedule."

Fury stared at him.

For several seconds, he didn’t move.

Then the elevator doors began closing automatically and bumped into his shoulder.

Only then did he snap out of it and step inside with Steve.

"Captain. Long time no see."

Evenson nodded toward Rogers.

"Indeed."

Steve returned the greeting.

But Evenson had already turned back toward Fury.

"So, about the money. Is that possible or not? I’d appreciate an answer."

Fury stared at him for a long moment.

You little bastard.

He’d practically delivered himself into Fury’s hands.

Perhaps this was an opportunity.

"Insight Helicarrier Hangar."

Fury addressed the elevator’s voice-control system.

A moment later, the computer responded.

"Access denied. Captain Rogers and Consultant Richter do not possess the required authorization."

Fury didn’t hesitate.

"Director override. Nicholas J. Fury."

The elevator began descending.

Fury wasn’t comfortable with Project Insight. Meanwhile, Evenson was secretly working with a special oversight group investigating S.H.I.E.L.D.

That made him someone who needed to understand what was happening.

There was another consideration.

Project Insight had now become entangled with Umbrella, and Evenson was the only person nearby who possessed meaningful knowledge of the organization.

Fury needed his perspective.

The elevator descended in silence for a few seconds.

Then Evenson spoke.

"Hold on. Why am I being dragged into this?"

He looked suspiciously at Fury.

"I have absolutely no interest in your classified secrets. Why are you taking me along?"

Fury glanced sideways at Steve.

Look at this man.

This is what professional restraint looks like.

Unlike certain people, Evenson understood that some secrets weren’t meant for him.

Fury felt a brief surge of satisfaction.

Then Evenson continued.

"Also, we haven’t settled the salary issue."

Fury closed his eyes.

Of course.

He had been preparing to discuss the serious matter of his suspicions, perhaps even share a little of his personal history.

Instead, Evenson was determined to discuss payroll.

Fury rubbed his temples.

"All right. What have you done this time? Why are you so desperate for money?"

"My expenses have gone up."

Evenson looked genuinely aggrieved.

"You know what living in New York costs. I’ve got five little tyrants to support, plus a girlfriend. Do you have any idea how expensive that is?"

He sighed dramatically.

"And then there’s my car. That thing is a financial black hole. If I skip even one maintenance appointment, it starts leaking oil before I can get it out of the driveway."

"Then stop driving it."

Fury forced the words through his teeth.

"Why should I?"

Evenson looked offended.

"You can drive. Why can’t I?"

He straightened proudly.

"I’m Evenson Richter. I’m going to drive."

"What does this have to do with me?"

Fury stared at him.

Evenson raised one hand.

"First, let me make something clear. I’m not discriminating against disabled people."

Fury’s expression darkened.

Evenson continued with complete seriousness.

"I’m simply wondering whether someone with impaired vision can legally obtain a driver’s license."

He tilted his head.

"Honestly, how much did you pay the examiner when you took your test?"

A vein began throbbing on Fury’s forehead.

Three minutes.

I could make this man beg for his life in three minutes.

The elevator continued descending.

Evenson kept talking.

And talking.

And talking.

Eventually, Fury couldn’t take it anymore.

"Fine! I’ll authorize it. I’ll sign an order, and you can collect the money from Finance!"

Evenson immediately brightened.

"Excellent. I knew you were a reasonable employer."

Steve watched the entire exchange in astonishment.

There weren’t many people capable of making Nick Fury lose an argument.

Evenson seemed to do it without even trying.

Steve couldn’t help thinking.

If I had even half his shamelessness...

Perhaps he’d have found out where Peggy was by now.

He considered the idea.

Then he immediately shook his head.

No.

Some doors were better left unopened.

Eventually, the elevator reached its destination.

The doors opened onto an enormous underground hangar.

"Welcome to Project Insight."

Fury stepped forward with his hands on his hips, looking rather pleased with himself.

"Three Helicarriers. More advanced than any of the previous generations. They’re connected to a satellite network, and Tony helped us improve their turbine engines."

He gestured toward the massive vessels.

"Once they’re airborne, they won’t need to land again."

Evenson looked ahead.

Three enormous Helicarriers dominated the hangar.

He’d known about them, of course. He’d heard the details and understood the basic design.

But seeing them in person was something else.

Unlike the Helicarriers he’d encountered before, these were armed to an intimidating degree.

Heavy autocannons covered their flight decks, while numerous powerful weapons hung beneath their hulls.

They were less like aircraft carriers and more like flying fortresses.

Even knowing what they were capable of, Evenson couldn’t help feeling impressed.

"Those satellites you mentioned..."

He looked toward Fury.

"Are they the ones launched by the Lemurian Star?"

"Exactly."

Fury nodded.

He continued explaining the system.

"Once Project Insight becomes operational, terrorists won’t even need to reveal themselves before we identify them. The satellites will be able to scan for specific DNA profiles and identify potential threats before they have a chance to act."

He paused.

"With this system, we can eliminate countless threats before they ever become a problem."

Fury suddenly stopped speaking.

Something seemed to have occurred to him.

Meanwhile, Steve was staring at the Helicarriers with a complicated expression.

After a moment, he spoke.

"But there’s a problem with the plan now."

He looked at Fury.

"The ship responsible for launching those satellites was boarded by hostile personnel. And those people were clearly no ordinary criminals."

Steve paused.

"I could tell you were concerned about them."

"Umbrella..."

Fury’s expression darkened.

"An organization we still don’t understand."

"That’s Dottie’s company, isn’t it?"

Steve raised an eyebrow.

At the mention of Dottie Underwood, he felt a headache coming on.

He’d been perfectly happy living with Peggy.

Then Dottie had decided to insert herself into their lives.

That alone had been troublesome enough, even if Peggy had no intention of crossing certain boundaries.

But ever since Peggy left, Dottie had become particularly persistent.

She appeared every few days, seemingly determined to seduce him.

On several occasions, Steve had nearly lost his composure.

Fortunately, he’d managed to regain control at the last moment.

He understood perfectly well that Dottie wasn’t genuinely interested in him.

Her goal was to make him slip up, damage his relationship with Peggy, and create an opportunity for herself.

Steve looked at Fury.

"Why don’t you bring Dottie in for questioning?"

Preferably, he thought, they could arrest her and never let her go.

"Pointless."

Fury shook his head.

"She openly identified herself as an Umbrella operative. The company isn’t going to let someone in her position know anything important. Investigating her would be a waste of time."

Evenson had been examining the Helicarriers.

Now he spoke.

"I don’t know anything about the ship you’re discussing, but I imagine the information involved was classified at Level Ten."

He turned toward Fury.

"So how exactly did your secrets get leaked?"

Fury’s expression tightened.

He wasn’t sure whether Evenson was asking out of personal curiosity or whether the special oversight group behind him wanted to investigate S.H.I.E.L.D.’s internal security.

Perhaps this visit was part of an official assignment.

That would make sense.

Even if Evenson had absolutely no shame when it came to money, he wouldn’t travel all this way just to demand an advance on his salary.

Surely there was more to it.

Before Fury could answer, Steve spoke again.

"This is exactly what I’ve been telling you. Your management system is flawed. Compartmentalization has become an excuse for terrible coordination."

Please don’t make this harder.

Fury forced himself to remain calm.

"My management system is perfectly sound. And whoever leaked the information will be identified."

"Perhaps it wasn’t one person."

Evenson looked thoughtfully at the three Helicarriers.

"Perhaps it was a group."

His words carried a subtle warning.

"Compartmentalization divides information into fragments. But breaking something into pieces doesn’t make it disappear."

He turned toward Fury.

"Give someone enough fragments, and they can reconstruct the entire picture. Of course, that would require a considerable number of insiders."

Fury shook his head.

"That’s unlikely."

He walked closer, putting his hands into his pockets.

Then he looked between Steve and Evenson with a faintly amused expression.

"What, are you suggesting that a third of S.H.I.E.L.D. works for Umbrella?"

The three men exchanged awkward smiles.

Steve looked back toward the Helicarriers.

"When I first joined the military, our instructors taught us something important about battlefield discipline."

He spoke slowly.

"Never pick up an enemy weapon without checking it first. You never know whether there’s a booby trap underneath."

His eyes returned to the massive aircraft.

"And these things have already been touched by the enemy."

He looked directly at Fury.

"Perhaps you should reconsider whether they should ever be allowed into the sky."

"Of course."

Fury nodded.

"Before launch, we’ll conduct a thorough inspection. We’ll make certain everything is safe."

Steve sighed.

"That’s it?"

He gestured toward the Helicarriers.

"You’re going to send these things into the sky, armed to the teeth, and point them at the entire world, even though the enemy has already had access to them?"

"I told you we’ll inspect them."

"That’s not the point!"

Steve’s voice became sharper.

"Whoever holds this weapon, it’s still pointed at everyone’s head."

He looked toward the enormous vessels.

"I’ve done plenty of things in my life that still keep me awake at night. Things I wish I could take back. But we did them to protect freedom."

He turned toward Fury.

"This isn’t freedom. It’s fear."

"Fear..."

Evenson smiled faintly.

"That reminds me of a certain phrase."

He raised one hand in a casual salute.

"Heil, Hydra."

Fury’s eye twitched.

He turned toward Evenson.

"Are you making fun of me? And in German, no less?"

His expression darkened.

"I don’t appreciate that joke. Not even slightly."

"Naturally. If you appreciated it, it wouldn’t be a joke."

Fury glared at him.

"Your paycheck is canceled!"

Evenson’s expression immediately changed.