FBI: Chapter 77/80

Chapter 77: Item No. 084

After Dante and Tony reached a consensus, he got ready to set the whole thing in motion.

This was actually Dante's first time setting up the ol' "bait the enemy and close the trap" play.

But finally, this felt like some real "Agent" business. I mean, ever since transmigrating, when has anything he touched not been the kind of mess that even Superheroes might break a sweat over?

With that thought, Dante made a video call to Coulson using his personal terminal.

A few seconds later, the familiar sight of Coulson's receding hairline popped up on screen.

"Dante? What brings you to me today?"

"I just wrapped up a mission. The Star Team just finished a month of tactical training, so they're on break for a few days. I'm feeling antsy. Figured I'd ask if you've got anything troublesome lying around that needs a hand?"

"Don't joke. I don't have anything major going on that would justify bringing out you… But if you're free, come along. I'm on a flight to Peru right now."

"Alright. Be there in a sec."

Dante nodded, opened a portal, and stepped right in.

Coulson suddenly felt a chill run down his spine—then turned to see Dante already behind him.

"Honestly, portals are a neat trick. I always thought they were just a movie gimmick."

"In my opinion, nothing in movies or comics is half as fantastical as real life," Dante smiled, patting Coulson on the shoulder. "Where's the team?"

"They're in the combat briefing room. This is their first time encountering an 084 item."

084 item—FBI special classification. Translation: no one knows what the hell it is.

Usually, it's either some relic from an ancient hyper-civilization, or something straight-up alien.

For example, when Thor's hammer was discovered in the original timeline—it had massive energy output, couldn't be moved, and fit the bill for a textbook 084.

Which brings us to the first recorded 084 item: the Kree Obelisk.

Now that was a trap within a trap. The outer shell—the so-called "Diviner"—was just a failsafe meant to vaporize non-Inhumans.

Thanks to Jiaying and her cult melting the crystal encasing the Diviner, the layers got fused. So when it was activated, both the Diviner and Terrigen were released at once. Non-potential Inhumans? Instant charcoal.

Thing is, pure Terrigen crystals aren't fatal to ordinary people.

So yeah… that one's on Jiaying and her low-culture band of misfits.

But can you really blame them? Compared to the Celestials who birthed the Mutants, the Kree were just cosmic warmongers with more pride than brains.

They got their asses handed to them plenty of times—by Odin and Hela's forces, no less.

Dante and Coulson walked into the Airbus's combat briefing room. Inside, the team was gathered—including Steve Rogers, who, notably, wasn't wearing his usual getup—and listening to Jemma Simmons geek out over the Peruvian ecosystem.

"You guys should know, there are over 200 snake species in Peru's jungles. The South American Bushmaster? It's got venom that's not only neurotoxic, but also breaks down proteins and causes hemolysis. Real nasty stuff."

Steve Rogers leaned in and asked quietly:

"Is she always this excited?"

At this point, the team had been around Steve long enough to talk to him like a regular person. The whole fanboy stage had passed.

Helped a lot that Steve hadn't worn his old Captain America uniform once since waking up from the ice.

Coulson, his forever fanboy, had asked him multiple times if he wanted a new Cap suit made, but Steve always politely declined.

Too much time had passed. The world had moved on, and so had he.

Maybe the world didn't need Captain America anymore.

Maybe Steve Rogers just needed to live.

So now, he wore the standard FBI tactical uniform. Only the round Vibranium shield on his back gave away who he really was.

"How do I put this? Occupational hazard," Barry Allen said, a beat slower than usual. "It's like Fitz geeking out over Stark's suits or how I start analyzing tread marks without realizing."

"That's good. I thought Jemma was just one of those people who can't sleep the night before a field trip."

"Uh, judging by the bags under her eyes, she definitely didn't sleep last night," Barry added.

Dante looked at Steve Rogers—so quiet and grounded now—and couldn't help but wonder…

What would happen if he met Captain Carter?

After all, one's about to lose his Peggy Carter.

And the other already lost her Steve Rogers.

"Good afternoon, my dear teammates. I, Dante Alighieri, am back!"

Before Coulson could say anything, a loud "Aww!" rang out.

Instant chaos.

Everyone in the room—except Steve—visibly twitched. Even Jemma, who had been bouncing with excitement, froze like she'd been hit by a stun grenade.

That voice!

"Demon, begone!"

"Someone bring me a cross!"

"Ugh, damn it! I get stress-induced vomiting just hearing that voice… Ugh!"

The formerly calm scene collapsed into disorder.

Dante's eye twitched.

Are these clowns serious?

Especially Barry, stress-induced vomiting?

He literally had the lowest training intensity out of all of them!

Come on, Speed Force—smite him already!

He really couldn't take Barry's submissive, soft-spoken act anymore… but ironically, in boys love fanfics, Barry always ends up being the one on the bottom.

Tragic.

In canon, the guy dies and gets reset every other arc.

In fanfics, he has to offer up his butt too.

"Ah, Barry… you've really suffered."

"You— Ugh!"

"Is it really that dramatic!?"

Dante gave the twitching Wade a casual kick out of the way, clearing a path through the chaos, and approached Steve.

"It's an honor to meet you, Steve Rogers."

"You too, Dante. Thanks for digging me out of that damn ice."

Steve extended a hand. Dante shook it firmly.

"I figured you'd call me Captain America."

"I don't see Captain America. I see an old soldier who wants to say goodbye to the past and start fresh."

(To be continued.)

Chapter 78: You Again

When Dante arrived on the Airbus via portal, they were already nearing Peru—so there wasn't much time left.

The Airbus belonging to Coulson's team eventually flew over a dense, endless rainforest before landing on a patch of flat ground outside the tree line.

Then, they loaded up into the Federal Bureau of Investigation's custom off-road vehicles and headed toward the predetermined coordinates.

Dante didn't open a portal this time. The Coulson Team wouldn't always have him around, and if they got too used to teleporting everywhere, they'd get soft.

Besides…

Rare chance to go abroad on government expense—shouldn't they enjoy the view?

After about an hour of driving, they finally reached their destination.

This was an excavation site of Inca ruins.

Dante first did a sweep of the surrounding jungle, circling the perimeter to confirm there were no signs of large lifeforms. Once he was sure, he nodded for the team to begin.

Fitz and Jemma hopped out, chatting and laughing, hauling their gear with them.

"Oh, Jemma, is that the South American Bushmaster you mentioned on the plane?"

At those words, Fitz and Jemma whipped their heads around—only to see a yellow-brown, venomous snake coiled tightly around Dante's perfectly sculpted forearm. It was a Bushmaster, currently gnawing on Dante's hand like its life depended on it.

Unfortunately for it, Dante's physical stats were still intact. Snake fangs had no chance of penetrating his skin.

"Is it fun having a venomous snake wrapped around your arm?! It's literally biting you!"

"Don't say that. It kinda tickles, honestly. I think this little guy really likes me," Dante said casually, unwrapping the snake from his wrist.

Then he flicked his arm and launched it back into the jungle.

Jemma rushed over to inspect his wrist. She knew the venom couldn't hurt Dante, but that Bushmaster's poison was still dripping off his hand and onto the ground.

She immediately pulled out high-concentration disinfectant and started cleaning his hand.

"Uh, Jemma, I appreciate the concern, but snake venom really doesn't affect me. I could probably drink it and be fine."

"I know it doesn't affect you," Jemma sighed. "But if the venom gets on anyone else, they might not be so lucky. Clean it up—don't cause trouble for the team."

They turned and walked into the ruins of the Inca temple. The ancient site, hidden deep in the jungle, had stood for at least five centuries—and it was where the 084 item had been detected.

Dante followed the Science Babies into the temple. After they finished the most thorough on-site scan imaginable, they reached a conclusion.

"Everything in here is authentic—Inca-era at the latest, possibly even pre-Inca." Fitz pointed to a chunk of wall where something clearly didn't belong. "But this thing? I don't care how low your IQ is—there's no way you'd think this should be here."

"Inside the fossilized rock layer we just excavated, there's a mechanical object embedded—one with a clear, ordered structure," Jemma added. "Which means it's been here at least fifteen hundred years—longer than the temple itself has existed."

"…But from the manufacturing quality, it looks kinda… German."

Dante watched them geek out for a moment, then decided to step outside for air.

He had Captain Cold's genius-level engineering ability, and at a glance he could tell—it was probably some kind of energy emitter.

But knowing tech wasn't the same as liking it.

He wasn't built for research labs and whiteboards.

"May, have you eaten?"

As soon as Dante stepped out of the ruins, he spotted Melinda May—just now returning from parking the car in a hidden spot.

"You should save that kind of greeting for someone else."

"My bad, my bad… Oh, by the way—have you and Fury told Steve Rogers about the existence of Captain Carter yet?"

"Not yet. Rogers is only just now adjusting to the present. No need to provoke him. I'll take him to see our Peggy Carter first—she's been… relatively lucid lately."

At the mention of this timeline's Peggy Carter, Melinda May—usually a blank-slate poker face—let a flicker of sorrow show through.

Dante stared at her warily.

"…Why are you looking at me like that?" May instinctively touched her face. "Do I have something on it?"

"No. I just figured, in this kind of setup, you were about to drop the classic FBI agent line—'Peggy Carter is the closest thing to a mother you've ever had' or some crap like that. I've heard that line so many times lately, I'm getting an allergy."

"Uh, I had actual parents."

"Then you're already ahead of the game. Double-parent configuration—OP setup."

As Dante spoke, he suddenly flashed a series of hand signals—specific to Federal Bureau of Investigation field tactics.

May got it instantly.

They split, flanking both sides of the brush.

Then—bam—they moved in sync, yanking several armed intruders out from cover.

All of them were fully kitted soldiers.

Dante had spotted them when they first reached the ruins, but he hadn't bothered making a fuss.

He preferred cleaning them up in one go.

Now that the enemy squad was nearly assembled, he signaled May—and it was go time.

She and Dante immediately knocked out the closest soldiers. At the same time, military jeeps came roaring in from all directions.

Dozens more soldiers poured out, rifles raised.

Oliver Queen, Wade Wilson, and Steve Rogers stepped out of the jungle like it was rehearsed.

Dante raised his hands in a gesture of "don't look at me."

The five Agents—all seasoned—barely exchanged glances.

They already knew the plan.

Soon enough, the ground was littered with unconscious bodies.

"I heard Peru's got a rebel group stirring up trouble lately. Think it's them?" Wade said as he slid his katanas away.

"Nope. These guys are too well-equipped, too well-trained," Oliver said, scanning the scene. "They'd be top-tier soldiers in any country. Clearly government troops. But why would the army ambush us? We already informed the Peruvian officials."

"What happened?" Coulson and Barry came out of the temple, faces darkening the moment they saw the sprawled-out soldiers.

"A squad of Peruvian soldiers just attacked us for no reason. Don't worry—we went non-lethal. No international incidents today," Steve explained.

That calmed Coulson.

But what happened next made him spit out that calm like expired milk.

Because the next person to show up was someone he used to know very well.

...

About twenty seconds after the skirmish ended, Peruvian Military Police Commander Camila Reyes arrived on the scene—only to find her troops all groaning on the ground.

And Dante standing there, waiting like he'd been expecting someone.

"Who are you?!" Camila Reyes demanded, alarmed. "What happened to my soldiers?"

"I'm Agent Dante Alighieri. Level Seven, Federal Bureau of Investigation. We're here for an international security matter."

Dante's tone was cool. He already knew who she was.

As he spoke, some of the soldiers on the ground started coming to—groaning weakly.

Honestly, they'd held back during the fight. If they hadn't, non-lethal or not, nobody would've been conscious this fast.

"Federal Bureau of Investigation?" Camila's acting was good—her fake confusion was flawless. "I'm Camila Reyes, Commander of the Peruvian Military Police. Your operations on Peruvian soil demand an explanation."

"As you wish, Commander Camila Reyes." Dante nodded, gesturing to the ruins. "We detected an 084 item within these Inca ruins. As you should know, under international agreements signed by Peru, 084 items fall under Federal Bureau of Investigation jurisdiction and do not belong to the country of origin."

Camila looked like she still wanted to argue—until Coulson stepped up.

"Hmm? Phil?"

"Camila," Coulson said with a small smile, stepping forward. "It's been years. You're a Commander now?"

"Three years ago, actually. Phil, we should greet each other properly."

And with that, Camila and Coulson shared a cheek kiss.

"I've got a few questions for you," Dante interrupted them.

"Oh, Phil…" Camila shook her head. "Your Agents are competent, but they lack manners."

"Camila, I think there's a misunderstanding," Coulson said, expression going from warm to strictly professional. "Dante's not my subordinate. In some ways, his authority and importance even outrank mine. And while he may act casual, he never interrogates people without cause. So if he's asking, you should probably answer."

Camila's frown deepened.

Damn you, Clairvoyant. How come there was no intel on someone like him?

No choice now. She'd have to play along.

Dante waited for her nod, then started his questioning.

"Given the conflict between Peru's military and the rebels… how does the Commander have time to rendezvous with an old flame here? Or does Peru now have tech to detect 084 items? Is that why you deployed elite forces in secret?"

"…We were conducting a rebel sweep. The encounter was a coincidence."

"Yeah? Let me answer for you." Dante stepped between her and Coulson, voice low. "The Clairvoyant told you Coulson's team was coming to retrieve the 084. He said it was a weapon—something that could end the civil war. But then… an unexpected obstacle appeared."

Camila's expression changed completely. She subtly stepped back, looking at Coulson with mixed emotion and growing resolve.

Coulson was shocked too—not at her betrayal, but at her sheer ruthlessness.

"So… when did you decide to throw our history away?"

"…The moment I saw your team."

"Should I be grateful you didn't make that call when you got the intel?"

Camila didn't answer. Instead, she pressed a button on her communicator.

More engine sounds echoed in the distance—perfectly matching the backup units Dante had detected during his earlier recon.

They'd come fully loaded.

"Subdue the FBI Agents! Seize the 084 item!" Camila ordered coldly.

Then, to Coulson, she added, "I'm sorry, Phil. But between you and my country, I had to make a hard choice. Don't resist. I won't hurt you. Once the rebels are dealt with, I'll surrender to the international court and the Bureau."

"Is that so…"

Coulson nodded. He knew then that there was no saving this.

So he turned and walked toward the mountain—

He turned and walked toward the ruins.

"Team, listen up. Try not to kill anyone."

"It's your team now, so I'll listen."

His old flame hadn't shown any old affection—but Coulson still couldn't be cruel.

He wasn't a bleeding heart. If they'd come with malicious intent, he wouldn't have hesitated to pull the trigger.

But Camila Reyes and these soldiers… they weren't evil.

Just desperate patriots making a gamble.

Coulson couldn't bring himself to hurt them.

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to Shisui34 for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 79: Layout Begins

"Honestly, Commander Camila, I sincerely recommend you surrender now," Dante said, flashing Coulson's old flame a bright, sincere smile. "Because fighting me is really going to hurt."

Camila ignored Dante's jab and gave a crisp, clear order.

"Teams One and Two, suppress the target! Team Three, on alert! Teams Four and Five, surround the temple—don't let anyone escape!"

In her eyes, sure, these Federal Bureau of Investigation agents were strong—strong enough for a handful to drop an entire squad—but no matter how you sliced it, they were still trying to stop a tank with a toothpick. Against an organized military force, they'd get flattened.

If it were that scumbag Grant Ward, even he would've given up on a frontal assault by now and tried sneaking out another way.

But reality check…

Even without Dante, just three top-tier Agents plus Steve Rogers was already an overkill combo.

And with Dante—this literal walking cheat code?

Forget it.

"Sigh, how stubborn." Dante shook his head like a disappointed teacher.

Right as he finished speaking, his eyes lit up—literally.

The sky, previously cloudless, suddenly roared with thunder.

Lightning Manipulation.

Thousands of lightning bolts crashed down from above.

The soldiers didn't even get to scream—just dropped on the spot, twitching uncontrollably.

But under Dante's meticulous control, despite the fireworks show, not a single life was lost.

It looked divine—felt divine—but in the end, it was just a warning.

These were still soldiers fighting for their republic. Risky? Yes. But honorable in its own way.

Still, those poor guys would be stuck in bed for a solid month.

Camila Reyes could only stand there in stunned silence, helplessly watching as everything around her crumbled.

The commotion outside drew Fitz and Jemma from the temple—ignoring the 084's high-frequency radiation warnings to come running out, still clutching the item.

Jemma pointed at Dante, stunned.

"…Another new ability? Can we still call Agent Dante human?"

"If nothing's changed, he should still think he's human… right?"

"I'd love to run a full body scan on him," Jemma muttered. "Maybe even a few biopsies. He's got insane regeneration anyway."

Everyone slowly turned to look at her.

"Wh-why are you all staring at me?! I was making a cold scientific joke! I wouldn't actually dissect a colleague!" Jemma groaned. "Besides, I'd probably need a Vibranium scalpel just to scratch him."

"So let's skip the dissection." Coulson chuckled. "If you're curious, just ask him. Dante's always open about that kind of stuff. In fact, I'm kinda curious too."

Coulson nodded and turned to contact the International Military Tribunal.

Since no one had died, Camila would probably walk away after some diplomatic back-and-forth between Peru and the Tribunal.

The country was still in internal turmoil—they'd shield their commander.

Still, he had other concerns.

"Tell me, Camila. Who exactly is this lunatic called 'The Clairvoyant'? Have you seen him in person?"

"Everything about him is a mystery… and yet, he knows everything about us. Like a prophet from legend…"

Prophet.

Coulson had never been one to believe in that nonsense.

But over and over, reality forced his hand.

A prophet is dangerous.

A malicious prophet? Even worse.

And Dante had whispered the name "The Clairvoyant" right in Camila's ear…

Coulson glanced over at Dante, who was now patting Fitz on the back while spinning some exaggerated war story.

Maybe he'd get the answer from him.

...

"Dante, I've got some things I need you to explain."

Back at FBI HQ, the Coulson Team's Airbus was docked nearby.

The rest of the team was off waiting for the Slingshot Protocol to kick in.

The Slingshot Protocol—officially—was the Bureau's method for destroying uncontrollable or unanalyzable 084 items by launching them into the sun via rocket.

Unofficially?

Just a smokescreen.

Agents Level Seven and up knew the truth: there was nothing in the rocket.

The real 084s went into a top-secret facility known only as The Fridge.

So while junior agents crowded around the viewing platform to watch the rocket show, Dante and Coulson were somewhere more productive.

Dante put down his green soda and smirked.

"Couldn't hold it in, huh? You want to know who that bastard 'Clairvoyant' is, right?"

"I don't believe in prophets. But this guy's clearly a danger to global security."

Dante slid a glass of Coulson's favorite whiskey toward him.

"First, consider this: if he really was a prophet, why didn't he tell Camila about that weapon earlier? That 084's been sitting in the Peruvian jungle for thousands of years. Why wait until the Bureau detected it?"

That made Coulson freeze.

Dante continued:

"If he wasn't just watching drama unfold for fun, then it means he only learned about the 084 around the same time as the Bureau."

"But even then," Coulson muttered, "what organization could rival our intelligence network?"

"No one," Dante said flatly. "Because the guy is FBI."

Coulson's head snapped up.

"A senior Agent," Dante added. "Once you hit Level Eight or above, you get access to intel you couldn't dream of seeing at lower levels."

"But unlike you honest types, who treat that access like a curiosity binge, this guy saw it as a goldmine."

"He exploited global information gaps to rake in massive profits."

"And this guy? He's an old friend of yours. FBI Level Eight Agent—John Garrett."

"WHAT!?"

Coulson slapped the table and shot to his feet.

Two betrayals in one day—who wouldn't crack?

"John Garrett? That can't be right!"

"Why not?" Dante tilted his head. "He's not just the Clairvoyant. He's HYDRA."

PFFT!

Coulson had just taken a sip of whiskey, only to immediately spit it out.

"Cough cough cough—!" Coulson wheezed, ignoring the insult as he wiped his face. "You're sure? John Garrett? He's not just The Clairvoyant—he's HYDRA too?"

"Positive." Dante nodded. "Remember the Centipede Project? He created it—to prolong his own life. And he even contacted Stark, pretending to represent the Bureau, trying to get Extremis research."

Coulson's face turned grim.

He'd never expected Garrett—trusted colleague, veteran Agent—to be both a snake and the mastermind behind the Clairvoyant.

After a long silence, he spoke again.

"If Garrett's HYDRA… then what about Grant Ward? He was trained by Garrett."

"Bingo. Ward's HYDRA too. That's why I kicked him off your team from the start."

"You kicked him off?"

"Technically, I nudged him. Then offered a deal."

"A deal?"

"I said, work for me and I'll give you a way to survive. Pretty good offer, right?"

"But he's HYDRA!" Coulson stood up again, the calm facade completely gone.

HYDRA—the very cancer that led to the FBI's internal purge. That had gotten him killed.

No way he was letting HYDRA go.

"I get it. But I made a promise. I'll keep it." Dante shrugged. "You didn't make any promises, though."

Coulson exhaled slowly, calming himself.

"…You're not the kind of guy to expose Garrett just for kicks. So what's your angle, Dante?"

"Can't fool you, huh?" Dante grinned. "Ever heard of Project Insight?"

"Fury mentioned it back when he was working on Project T.A.H.I.T.I… but that got shelved after the Bureau's last internal shakeup."

"Well, Stark visited the Bureau recently. Under Fury's persuasion, he upgraded all three Insight-class Helicarriers. They'll be completed soon."

"But Project Insight is too risky!" Coulson said, frowning. "If someone modifies the algorithm, it'll go from protection to mass execution!"

Dante waved him off.

"Relax. This version of Project Insight is real—but it's also bait."

"HYDRA bait," Coulson said slowly.

"You got it," Dante confirmed. "That last purge? That was just HYDRA sacrificing pawns to save kings."

"Now we are laying the trap."

"We'll use Project Insight to lure HYDRA's main force into the open—then crush them."

"And your team?" Dante added, leaning forward. "You guys are assigned to protect The Fridge."

"As the Bureau's top-secret storage facility, its value to HYDRA is only second to Project Insight."

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to Shisui34 for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 80: The Two Captains Meet, Lemurian

Three days later, somewhere over the Indian Ocean, fifty kilometers from the Lemurian Star.

"Dante, you come in here with your schemes and your ambushes—and you don't think it's worth telling me, the Director, until the plan's already unfolding? You think that's appropriate? Is that appropriate??!"

"Haha, I just thought you'd definitely understand my intentions. Guess I'm not that important to you after all!"

Dante sat cross-legged, gazing at the night sky thick with clouds, casually speaking to Fury through the comms.

"Don't you start trying to change the subject!"

"Ahem. You want the truth?" Dante grinned. "It's because you, as Director, are constantly being watched by that pain-in-the-ass World Security Council."

"That was Alexander Pierce's decision. He insisted the Bureau needed oversight."

"Yeah? Well, Pierce is HYDRA. No surprise there. If I had to guess, I'd say he orchestrated the Bureau's last internal purge. Think about it—wasn't it right after that mess the U.S. Bureau started getting leashed?"

"…It was really him?" Fury muttered, then snapped back into volume. "When this is over, you better give me a full damn explanation!"

"Sure, sure. Don't forget to keep acting for Pierce's sake. Anyway, I'm hanging up now."

He checked the time, set the plane's autopilot, and stepped out of the cockpit. His face shifted from smirking trickster to no-nonsense field commander.

Everyone in the cabin went rigid.

Not from fear—but because the air was weird.

Weird.

No one spoke. No one even dared breathe loudly.

Because standing dead-center were two Captains, silently staring each other down.

Steve Rogers looked at Captain Carter with visible disbelief.

And though Carter was more composed, her pupils were visibly shaking.

They'd both lost their versions of each other.

And this meeting—despite the shock—wasn't emotional. Because neither one was the person the other had truly missed.

Skye was internally cringing so hard she might snap her spine. Her chronic secondhand embarrassment was kicking in.

As soon as she spotted Dante, she power-walked over.

"Was this really a good idea?" she whispered. "Throwing them together like this? Carter's one thing, but Steve only just came to terms with being frozen for half a century…"

"Relax," Dante said with a smile. "If he couldn't handle this, he wouldn't be Captain America. He's got way more inner strength than you give him credit for."

Still—this couldn't go on. They were at work, not a soap opera.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

Dante clapped his hands, snapping the tension.

"I'm Level Seven Agent Dante Alighieri, and the overall commander for the Lemurian Star rescue operation."

"Skye—sync the mission info."

Skye nodded and tapped on her terminal. Data filled the large screen behind her.

"The Lemurian Star is a satellite launch vessel under the Bureau. It's currently under pirate occupation—forty-eight hostiles on board."

"They're heavily armed with automatic weapons. Six of them are equipped with individual grenade launchers."

"The leader is George Batroc—a world-class mercenary with a criminal record longer than a Netflix contract. Ruthless, lethal, and very much not a people person."

"Their raid began ninety-three minutes ago, right when the final satellite was launching."

Steve studied the screen and turned to Skye.

"How much are they asking?"

"One-point-five billion dollars. But, this is a Bureau ship…"

"So… we're cleaning up another one of Fury's messes?" Steve sighed and shook his head. Then he scanned the hostage list and frowned. "Wait—Sitwell? He's HR. What the hell is he doing on a launch ship?"

Dante stiffened. Sitwell?

Sure, in the original timeline Sitwell was here but—

Wasn't that guy dead?

Grant Ward had definitely killed him.

And Ward wasn't the type to lie about something like that. Especially not to Dante.

Too risky. Too dumb.

Killing Sitwell was faster, simpler… safer.

So if Sitwell's name was still on the active list, that meant someone had stepped in and filled the body slot almost immediately—so fast, no one noticed the original was missing.

But who?

Couldn't be Mystique—Mutants were on their side.

Skrull?

Or maybe a shapeshifter Agent?

Either way, once he got on that ship, Dante needed to go meet this "Sitwell" personally.

"Captain Rogers, Captain Carter," Dante began, flipping into ops mode, "you two will approach from opposite sides and clear the deck."

"Everyone else—parachute to the stern. Infiltrate and rescue the hostages."

"Skye, you're backup. Hack the Lemurian Star's security system. Get me a lockdown."

"As for me—I'll go directly for the engine room. I'll shut it down and clear access routes for extraction. Understood? Prep for deployment!"

As the assignments finished, the transport hovered above the Lemuria Star.

The Agent leading the combat squad stepped forward, hand extended.

"Agent Dante—I'll be commanding this elite formation."

"And you are?"

"Level Nine Agent Maria Hill," she said, removing her mask and revealing a sharp bob cut and serious eyes. "First time meeting, isn't it?"

"I've heard plenty." Dante shook her hand.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Maria smiled slightly. She liked Dante's personality; she wouldn't be here otherwise.

"Then I'm leaving the rescue team in your care."

"As you command."

"Hey, I'm only Level Seven. You don't need to be that formal."

Dante scratched his head.

After all, Level Nine was second only to Fury himself. Technically, she outranked him.

"Come on. Who in the Bureau still thinks you're just a Level Seven Agent? Anyone who does needs their head examined."

Maria waved it off like a joke.

Because really—who didn't know Dante was now one of the Bureau's top combat assets? His Level Seven badge was just window dressing.

"Appreciate the flattery."

They reached the drop point.

"Alright. Move out!"

At Dante's command, the first ones out were the two Captains.

As per usual, neither bothered with parachutes.

They jumped straight from the plane, no hesitation, leaving the elite Agents stunned.

"Don't worry about them," Dante said casually. "They never really liked parachutes anyway."

"Rescue team, hold position. Stagger the deck-clearing sequence."

Dante stood at the hatch, issued one more order—then leaned back and dove straight out of the plane.

The Agents rushed to the edge, only to hear a faint chant echoing behind him—

"With blood and rage of crimson red,
Ripped from a corpse so freshly dead,
Together with our hellish hate,
We'll burn you all—that is your fate!"

Red Lantern Transformation!

Dante lit up like a comet of crimson fury, streaking toward the Lemurian Star.

Skye crossed her arms and pouted.

"You're the last person who should complain about worldviews…"

...

"Have you seen Dante? I haven't been able to reach him."

"I can't either. But with his powers, what could happen to him?"

Steve and Carter met up mid-deck.

As they spoke, a blur zipped out from behind them—a vicious, twisting whip-kick flying at Steve Rogers' head.

A sneak attack.

Fast. Clean. Lethal.

It was George Batroc—the mercenary no one had been able to catch.

All surveillance across the Lemurian Star had already been replaced with home appliance ads and Crayon Shin-chan reruns.

Batroc had known the ship had been compromised the moment his comms started going dead.

He knew it was time to act.

He made it to the deck just in time to see the two Captains deep in conversation.

Instinct told him: target the guy in the S.H.I.E.L.D. combat uniform.

So, classic Batroc—strike first.

Bad move.

Very bad move.

Because the moment his foot launched—two Super Soldiers countered simultaneously.

What followed was a textbook example of a two-on-one beatdown.

A beatdown with rhythm.

"Agh-do you dare fight me one-on-one?!" Batroc wheezed from the ground, barely conscious. "You just rely on numbers-and that shield!"

Steve scoffed. "Buddy, I was fighting Nazis before your grandma hit puberty. One-on-one? This is war, not a gentleman's fencing match!"

Captain Carter gave Steve a rare nod of approval.

Exactly.

Every seasoned soldier curses.

They just hold it in during peacetime. On the field?

Let it fly.

They turned toward a nearby locked door—the Lemurian Star's central control room.

CRACK!

Captain Carter lifted her shield, slammed it down, and snapped the lock clean off.

The door swung open.

And inside?

Bent over a console, frantically copying files.

Dante.

"…Ah."

He looked up slowly.

"…Well, this is awkward."

(To be continued.)