"You all need to conduct internal inspections on the personnel under your command. I don't want this happening again!"
Fury pressed his hands on the table, leaning forward slightly, his gaze sweeping across the senior agents one by one.
"Yes, sir!"
On the surface, none of the senior agents showed any sign of concern.
After they all left, only Natasha remained.
"Director, this will definitely alert Hydra," Natasha said, already aware of the entire situation.
"What we need to do now is rattle the snake." Fury's expression was unreadable. "The Chaldeans aren't just targeting Hydra; they want to erode the faith and reputation of S.H.I.E.L.D. entirely. You know I can't let that happen. The only thing I want right now is for Hydra to reveal themselves, so we can pin everything on them."
Shen He appeared to have his own set of plans, and Fury had every reason to believe this was just the beginning.
Rebuilding S.H.I.E.L.D. was now a priority, and as always, Fury was thinking five steps ahead.
"Agent Hill has her mission," Natasha noted. "What about mine?"
"The woman who escaped today is classified as an 084 in our records. Shen He doesn't involve innocent people lightly. If she was observed by the Chaldeans, then she must be special." Fury thought for a moment, then ordered, "Find her. Gain her trust. Learn everything you can. That's your specialty."
The designation "084" was S.H.I.E.L.D.'s internal code for objects or individuals of unknown origin.
When Keith was a baby, a S.H.I.E.L.D. team had sacrificed themselves to protect her. That was why all records of her past had been erased.
"Understood," Natasha said before turning to leave.
Meanwhile, Shen He, having closely monitored and subtly influenced online public opinion, was already preparing for the next phase.
He called Tony Stark in front of Coulson.
"Tony, are you aware of what just happened?"
"Of course, Shen. You seem to attract more and more dangerous people," Tony replied, having kept a close eye on the situation.
Shen He had not hidden his plans from Tony, but witnessing elite agents descending into madness firsthand was an entirely different experience.
"Dangerous threats require dangerous countermeasures," Shen He acknowledged Lelouch's terrifying abilities. "Tony, the plan might need some adjustments. I may need you to publicly vouch for Steve's identity. Right now, there's no one the world trusts more than you."
"Oh, that's the smartest thing you've said in the past half-month."
Tony didn't immediately agree. His tone carried a hint of irritation. "But if your story needs a hero, why pick a soldier from seventy years ago? You went through all this trouble to dig him up, trying to make him a hero again. Shen, should I be worried about your fascination with muscle-bound relics?"
"Wait, Tony," Shen He sighed. "If you had concerns about the plan, why mention them only now?"
"I don't have concerns. I just don't understand. But fine, I'll help," Tony conceded. "After all, Hydra and I have unfinished business. But if Steve doesn't live up to the hero title, I'm pulling out."
"Well..." Shen He had nothing to say to that.
Having formed a strong bond with Tony early on, Shen He sometimes forgot that Tony wasn't easily impressed by others. He wasn't the type to share the spotlight.
"Mr. Stark will recognize Captain America," Coulson interjected. "My instincts tell me they'll become good friends."
"Who knows," Shen He shrugged.
With Lelouch now summoned back and Saiki Kusuo keeping an eye on Steve, Shen He could proceed with his next moves.
Tony, once on board, acted swiftly. He wasted no time in calling a press conference. In fact, the media was already camped outside his house, eager to get his take on the S.H.I.E.L.D. situation and the extraterrestrial arrivals.
"S.H.I.E.L.D.? Of course, I know them," Tony began. "My father was one of its founders. But I have nothing to do with them. They haven't exactly upheld the Stark family's legacy. And yes, the man they captured today is indeed Captain America from seventy years ago. He's not dead. One of my associates retrieved him from the Arctic ice."
Shortly after, the CEO of the Virtual Reality Company released an official statement confirming the rescue of Captain America.
This company, registered as a research entity specializing in medicine, biotechnology, and internet advancements, had never been in the public eye before.
When people discovered that Tony Stark was a shareholder, his earlier comment about his "partner" finally made sense.
"Our chairman is furious," the CEO wrote in the announcement.
"We dedicated immense effort to locating a hero who made outstanding contributions to the United States seventy years ago. We originally sought to return his remains to his homeland, but fate had a different plan.
Captain America is alive!
We couldn't wait to share this miracle with the world.
Yet, before we could, he was arrested while standing up to protect civilians.
This is an insult no American should tolerate, and it's an unforgivable affront to a war hero.
We have gathered extensive video evidence of today's incident and will be filing legal charges against S.H.I.E.L.D. immediately. They must return the hero, unharmed."
Along with the statement, the company released a trove of evidence—photos of Steve being retrieved from the Arctic, medical records documenting his recovery, and even footage of his rehabilitation training and discussions about his past.
Faced with overwhelming proof, the world had no choice but to accept the truth:
Captain America was back.