When Steve Rogers returned to the common room of the base, the roar of repulsors outside signaled Tony Stark's arrival.
Iron Man landed with practiced ease, his armor hissing open as he stepped out. For all three of them—Steve, Tony, and Shen He—there was a weight in the air, heavy and unspoken. None of their expressions looked pleasant.
"River," Tony said as he slumped onto the couch, calling Shen He by his code name. "The Helicarrier base… is it handled?"
He didn't wait for an answer. "Jarvis picked up the signature. The damn thing was sunk—multiple missile strikes from multiple nations."
"That's correct," Shen He replied with a calm nod. "But Saiki restored it. It's submerged now, intact. If you have time, consider refitting it—it'll be useful when the alien invasion hits."
"Alien invasion? What kind of alien invasion?" Steve asked, eyes narrowing. He already had a feeling there was a mountain of information being withheld from him.
Tony scoffed. "Why is the soldier still here while we're talking classified details?" His eyes drifted over Steve like an insult. "You're not seriously suggesting we keep him, are you? I thought this was just for PR. Oh, yeah, I saw his little battle broadcast. That shield trick to down a Quinjet? That had to be Saiki's work. Some serious psychic choreography to make it look that clean."
"I thought you brought me in for a reason," Steve said, his jaw tight. "If you think I'm just a puppet soldier, I'll leave."
"No, no, you're useful. Just like a stage actor is useful." Tony's tone was sharp with sarcasm. "The audience loves it when you flex for the camera. It gets ratings."
Tony's mask of sarcasm cracked, frustration bleeding through. "But Shen, seriously—you had Saiki. He could have helped me. We could've saved more of them. Instead, we burned through a dozen of our best people for this... symbolic win?"
Shen He didn't respond immediately. There was nothing easy to say.
"If S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters had fallen, the price would've been worse," he said finally. "We couldn't save everyone."
"Even when you knew what was going to happen? When you planned it all?" Tony's voice rose. He gripped the armrest hard. "They were kids. College grads. One of them had a perfect record—top of his class, interning at Stark Industries. He was a fan. And I watched him die."
It wasn't the first time Tony had lost people.
But this time, he knew everything in advance. And still—he couldn't change it.
Shen He remained quiet.
By all strategic accounts, it was a massive victory. Hydra was shattered, S.H.I.E.L.D. fractured, but the Helicarrier was saved, and Captain America had re-emerged to the public. But victory always carried a cost. And no version of reality could ever deliver a bloodless one.
"War's always like this," Steve said. He didn't take offense at the mockery. "I lost more friends than I can count in World War II. Good people—my best friend, Bucky. And still, for those who made it through, it was a win. We fight so that others don't have to die."
Tony went silent, the tension in his hands relaxing slightly. He knew Steve was right. He'd just hoped this battle wouldn't leave that same empty space behind.
"…Anyway," Shen He cut in, sitting up straighter, "we don't have the luxury to mourn forever. Coulson was taken."
Tony blinked. "Coulson? Who took him?"
"John Garrett. A Hydra double-agent. He's in the wind. We tried tracking him, but his location shifts constantly—classic evasive pattern to confuse any precognitive tracking."
After stabilizing the Helicarrier, Shen He had sent Jeanne to divine Coulson's direction. But within ten minutes, the path had shifted several times. Garrett was on the move and smart about staying off the radar. Worse, none of the movement pointed toward any known S.H.I.E.L.D. facilities.
"I'll have Jarvis keep scanning," Tony said, rubbing his temple. "But finding a top-tier agent like Garrett won't be easy."
"Which is why we need to gather what's left of S.H.I.E.L.D.," Shen He sighed. "Fury was declared dead—rumor says the Winter Soldier did it. But knowing Fury, he's faking it. Probably hiding, pulling strings."
The original plan was simple: let either Fury or Coulson take the lead in rebuilding S.H.I.E.L.D.
That required funds, allies, and trust.
The virtual reality company, flush with capital, could provide funding and infrastructure. Chaldea would gain access to an elite intelligence network in exchange.
But now… both leaders were gone.
"Can I ask something?" Steve said suddenly.
Shen He nodded. "Of course. Don't let Tony get under your skin—he has a habit of running his mouth. Ask anything you want."
Though Steve had been given briefing materials, they barely scratched the surface.
"How do I really join you?" Steve asked, and Shen He was briefly surprised. "If I'm really a part of this, I need to know what we're trying to accomplish. If you left me in the dark because you thought I was just a puppet—an acting hero—that's fine. But I can't do this without knowing the truth."
Shen He let out a sigh, a bit amused. "That's not wrong. This was a constructed plan. Premeditated. Manipulative. Designed to give people hope through spectacle. But I don't need you to play conspirator—I need a hero. The kind people believe in. The kind I can't fake."
Steve didn't expect the honesty.
He was quiet for a moment, then nodded slightly.
"I've done it before, you know," he said.
"What?" Shen He tilted his head.
"Stage acting. Just like Tony said." Steve's voice was calm, accepting. "After the serum—before I saw combat—I was paraded across the U.S., wearing red, white, and blue. Told people I was the ultimate soldier, the super hero. I flexed for cameras, danced with girls, and sold war bonds. I was that guy. I get why people need it."
Tony looked at him, surprised. "Wait… so you're saying—what, you dance?"
Steve cracked a grin. "Of course. I dance very well."
"…Huh." Tony blinked, then smirked. "Okay. We'll compare notes sometime. You can teach me how to do the Charleston or whatever old man moves you know."
Shen He coughed, clearing his throat. "Right. Enough flirting. Steve, I'll be direct—your role is vital. I need you to use your reputation to contact the remnants of S.H.I.E.L.D.—the elite agents who are still loyal. You've fought alongside them. They know your face. And with Fury's last instructions echoing through the shadows, they'll follow you."
Trust—that was the currency S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives needed most now.
Their government was hunting them. Friends could be enemies. Every base compromised. Every ally suspect.
In a world full of betrayals, only one symbol still stood tall.
Captain America.
And Shen He was going to make sure that symbol lit the path forward.