Marvel: My Eyes Defies Fate.

"Odd-Eyed? Damn it, how did he end up here!"

When he saw Kurogai and the Winter Soldier appear, Pierce's expression twisted in panic, though he kept it buried beneath a veneer of calm.

Although he held great power in his hands, it was ultimately just influence — not true strength. He was, after all, an ordinary man. Now, standing face-to-face with Kurogai and the Winter Soldier inside his own office, Pierce felt a deep, creeping unease.

He couldn't quite understand how this had happened. He could guess that Kurogai had somehow gained control over the Winter Soldier, but he couldn't fathom how they'd breached S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, a place with security tighter than most military installations. It defied reason.

But what Pierce didn't realize was that the moment he ordered the Winter Soldier into action, he had already exposed himself to Kurogai. No amount of secrecy, no careful distancing from subordinates, no chain of encrypted commands could shield him now.

Trying to compose himself, Pierce forced a polite smile.

"May I ask what brings you here, your excellency? You must realize this is the headquarters of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division."

As he spoke, he casually moved toward his desk and discreetly pressed a hidden button beneath it — signaling S.H.I.E.L.D. agents for backup.

Pierce knew Kurogai wasn't here for a chat. The odds were stacked against him, but this was still S.H.I.E.L.D. If he could stall long enough for agents to arrive, there might be a chance to turn the tide. Better to risk arrest than face certain death at Kurogai's hands.

"Don't play games with me, Pierce," Kurogai said coldly, his mismatched crimson and silver eyes gleaming with disdain. "You really had the nerve to send the Winter Soldier after me, to harm those around me? Not even Whitehall dared go that far."

His calm voice carried undisguised killing intent.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Pierce replied, taking another small step backward. "I'm a senior official of S.H.I.E.L.D., a public servant."

It was a transparent stalling tactic, and Kurogai saw through it instantly.

"I'm done wasting time. Winter Soldier, take him."

Without hesitation, the Winter Soldier lunged forward, moving with brutal speed. Pierce tried to flee, but he didn't stand a chance. Within seconds, the Winter Soldier had pinned him against the wall, one metal arm constricting his throat.

For all Pierce's scheming and political clout, he was nothing in the realm of real combat. This outcome had been inevitable from the moment they entered the room.

Desperate, Pierce rasped, "Wait! Wait — we can talk about this. I can tell you anything you want to know. There's no need for this."

His only thought now was to buy time, to keep talking until the agents arrived. If he could give Kurogai something, maybe he'd live a little longer.

But Kurogai only smirked.

"Still hoping someone's coming to save you?" he said, his voice mocking. "You might want to rethink that. Without my permission, no one's getting through that door."

Unbeknownst to Pierce, Kurogai had erected a barrier spell around the office the moment he arrived. No alarms would be heard. No one would break in.

"And besides," Kurogai continued, his expression turning cold, "I don't need you to tell me anything. I'll take what I want myself."

His crimson eye gleamed, the Geass symbol flaring to life.

"Now, tell me everything you know — every base, every agent, every plan. Leave nothing out."

Pierce's will crumbled under the overwhelming mental command, and the interrogation began.

---

Elsewhere at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters

In a nearby office, Nick Fury was buried in reports when the alarm blared.

"What's going on?" Fury barked, rising from his chair as an agent rushed in.

"Sir! The alarm's coming from Director Pierce's office — something's happening in there!"

"Mobilize a response team. Now!"

Fury's concern was genuine. He had no idea about Pierce's true allegiance to Hydra; if he had, his reaction would have been far different.

But Kurogai had anticipated this. He knew Fury would react this way, but he didn't have time to care. His priority was getting answers — and fast.

Back in the office, the interrogation was yielding results.

"Well, well," Kurogai muttered, a satisfied smile curling his lips. "I didn't expect this much. Doctor Arnim Zola's location… and even Baron Strucker's. Seems Hydra's days are numbered."

It wasn't surprising that Pierce knew where Zola was. After all, the doctor had overseen the Winter Soldier's conditioning, and Pierce was the one who managed the asset operationally. What Kurogai hadn't expected was that Pierce also knew where Baron Strucker was hiding.

Hydra's strength had always been its decentralized nature. Its leaders often operated in isolation, with only fragments of information about each other's positions and plans. It was what made the organization so difficult to dismantle.

But this changed everything.

A predatory grin crossed Kurogai's face.

"So much for cutting off one head and two more growing back," he said quietly. "This time, we'll rip them out by the roots."

Hydra's reckoning had begun.

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