"Garrett, do you remember the mission on Mallow Island?"
Coulson stirred his spoon in the cup but kept his eyes fixed on Garrett.
"How could I forget? You were tied to a chair, and a dozen guns were aimed at you." Garrett leaned forward slightly. "I saved your life. Took two bullets for it and ended up in the emergency room. Heard you were crying, but you never admit it."
"No, no, I didn't cry too much, but…" Coulson muttered, "I shed two tears."
"What's wrong with you, old man? Your eyes… this isn't like you." Garrett narrowed his gaze. "We've been in this game for years. We've survived worse. There's nothing you can't get through, right?"
"Of course, but that's when we're together." Coulson stopped stirring and locked eyes with Garrett. "Tell me, Garrett… why did you join Hydra?"
"…Hydra? Are you serious?" Garrett sneered, shaking his head. "I thought you had something real to say. Did you forget? S.H.I.E.L.D. was formed after Hydra's supposed destruction. Who's been feeding you this nonsense, and why do you believe it? Coulson, if you're serious, I'd say you're getting paranoid."
Coulson remained silent and slowly raised the tranquilizer gun in his hand, aiming it directly at Garrett.
"…Well, I don't blame you, Coulson." Garrett ignored the barrel, meeting Coulson's gaze. "Doubt is part of the job, even if it's about a friend who's saved your life. So be it. If you truly believe I'm Hydra, I'll go back with you and face an inquiry. Let's get this over with."
"…Better that way."
Coulson hesitated, then slowly lowered the gun. He couldn't take Shen He's words as truth without solid proof, even though Shen He had been right before.
SMASH!
The sound of breaking glass snapped through the room.
Lelouch's heart clenched as four or five people turned toward him.
No time to hesitate.
"Obey my command!" Lelouch's left eye flashed with a glowing sigil.
"Looks like you brought an interesting one with you." Garrett sighed, swiftly reaching out and twisting Coulson's wrist, forcing him to drop the gun. "Take them!"
In an instant, the entire café erupted. Agents stood, drawing weapons from holsters and beneath tables.
Every single one of them was an operative.
"Protect me!" Lelouch commanded those under his control. He turned to the few remaining unaffected agents, "Obey me!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunfire exploded as everyone dove for cover.
Lelouch rolled under a table, his controlled agents forming a protective circle, firing back.
A body collapsed before him, a bullet clean through its eye.
…Vomit.
Lelouch clutched his mouth. He had seen death, but his nerves still tensed with unease.
What terrified him more was his own fear.
"Cover me!" Lelouch shouted, then sprang from his cover.
"Command—"
At the same time, Coulson took a brutal punch as Garrett's reinforcements subdued him. Two agents pinned his arms, preventing him from resisting.
"You made a serious mistake, Coulson." Garrett wiped the blood from his lip, crouching beside him. "You trust aliens over the man who saved your life?"
"Because they're right." Coulson's glare remained unwavering.
"Oh, of course, they're right." Garrett exhaled slowly. "Seeing the future—hell of a gift. But looks like your alien friends didn't foresee this. Did you really think we'd sit and wait to be caught?"
"You'll lose, Garrett. Surrender. You have no idea what you're up against."
"Surrender? Spend the rest of my days locked up?" Garrett chuckled darkly, about to say more—
Boom!
A bullet slammed into the ground beside him.
"Sir! More of them are coming!"
"Damn it!" Garrett snarled, then shot Coulson with the tranquilizer gun. "Take him! Retreat! Leave the other one!"
His agents moved like clockwork, dragging Coulson to a waiting vehicle. On their way out, they slashed the tires of the other cars.
By the time Lelouch stumbled out of the café, pale-faced, he could only watch as the taillights disappeared into the night. The horrified patrons were frozen in shock.
He pressed a green button on his watch.
"Lelouch?" Shen He's voice crackled through the speaker.
"The situation changed. Hydra made their move. Coulson's been taken. I didn't secure a target."
"Are you injured? I'm pulling you back now."
"No, Master. We planned for this. We proceed as expected." Lelouch's gaze darkened. "I've taken control of a few agents. You can track them. Master, try to contact S.H.I.E.L.D. Looks like the villains have stepped onto the stage themselves."
"Understood. We're moving in. I'll keep the line open—if anything changes, accept the call immediately."
A follower can be summoned to the Master's side, but they have the right to refuse unless commanded.
This safeguards both Master and follower alike.
Shen He exhaled.
"Violet, choose your weapon. Do you need to change?"
"No, the kimono is light enough." The two-faced swordswoman shook her head.
"Joan, this will be our first fight together."
"If we must fight to move forward—" Joan smiled, "—then we fight together, Master."
"An honor." Shen He returned the smile.
With a flick of his hand, his Mirage Armor materialized. Joan of Arc and the two-faced swordswoman settled into its massive palm.
Moments later, Violet rushed forward, gripping a sleek, two-meter scythe.
She still preferred cold steel.