"Master, are they food?"
The words of the green snake made Sharon Carter and Simmons instinctively take two steps back. A talking snake—such a massive one at that—was beyond comprehension.
And they were unarmed. Even though Sharon had completed many missions, she couldn't help but feel a sense of despair.
Just moments ago, all her weapons and equipment had flown over to Kain pent's side. It had to be some sort of superpower. Their current target was indeed someone with such abilities.
"So, tell me—how should I deal with you two?"
Kain placed his hands on their heads and spoke slowly. Then, using Legilimency, he began to read their memories. The green snake hissed softly, flicking its tongue, while Sharon and Simmons stood frozen, too afraid to move.
"We're Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.—all our actions are officially recorded, and—"
"If you keep spouting nonsense, I might just give Green Snake another snack today."
Kain cut Sharon off mid-sentence. Reading memories was usually a hassle, and he avoided it unless necessary. But from her mind, he had learned much—particularly that S.H.I.E.L.D.'s deployment strategy would make things far more convenient.
And it appeared this situation had ties to Malik. That old bastard… is he looking for death?
"Even if I killed you during a global live broadcast, nothing would happen. Is S.H.I.E.L.D. really that powerful?"
Kain chuckled coldly. He didn't take S.H.I.E.L.D. seriously—not anymore.
Nick Fury could barely protect himself. Did people really think being a spy chief was easy? The dangers him and Tony Stark were facing now were far greater than anyone expected.
The leaders of Hydra, however, were another matter—filthy and pathetic. Kain had been in other worlds recently and didn't expect S.H.I.E.L.D. to be manipulated into targeting him.
Malik clearly hadn't expected Kain to know magic, nor had he anticipated the true power of the Red Queen. Following Kain's command, she had begun tracking down leads and had already uncovered recordings of a conversation between Malik and Alexander Pierce in one of Malik's other residences.
As expected, Hydra's true value lay not in its structure but in its leaders—those capable of independent thought. They needed to be eliminated. Eventually, Hydra would be reborn under his sole command.
Kain suddenly found himself tempted to take over the entire Hydra organization. He already knew a lot about its inner circle. In one possible future, Hydra might even be the key to saving the world.
Killing them outright would be a waste. With plans to head to the ninja world soon, it made more sense to let Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D. fight each other now—then let the Pent Group clean up and take control of the aftermath.
Sharon Carter, sensing the snake's breath growing closer, fought back her fear and said to Kain, "Letting this giant snake eat us won't do you any good."
Given the power imbalance—and the primal fear of giant creatures—it was impressive that she could even speak. Simmons, on the other hand, was so terrified she couldn't utter a word.
"If you need us to do something, you can just discuss it."
Kain noticed that the Hydra high-ranking members' data had been successfully compiled. He turned to Sharon Carter and Simmons and said calmly, "You have two choices: you can stay here and have dinner with the green snake... or just stay here with the green snake."
He paused, then added with a smirk, "I'll be upstairs. If you want to trade the information I have... you'll have to use a female agent's methods."
"Believe me, if you manage to take this intel back, that old bastard Nick Fury will thank you so much he'll call your mother personally. You have one minute to decide."
With that, Kain turned and walked up the stairs. The massive green snake beside them slowly swayed its terrifying head, glanced at the nearby clock, then flicked its tongue ominously.
The methods of a female agent...
Sharon Carter understood immediately. There were, indeed, some agents in S.H.I.E.L.D. who specialized in seduction to gather intelligence—but that was always a personal choice.
S.H.I.E.L.D. never ordered or even suggested it. Sharon instinctively felt disgusted and resisted the idea.
But the alternative... was being eaten alive.
She glanced at her empty hands and equipment belt. Simmons, pale and trembling, leaned against her for support. Fighting wasn't an option. They were completely outmatched. If they resisted, they'd both become snake food.
Sharon quickly shook Simmons to bring her back to reality and said with firm resolve, "Simmons, there's no time to explain. This mission is a failure. If we want to survive, we have to give up certain things. Do you want to live?"
Simmons looked dazed. "What? Carter... Agent Carter, what are we supposed to do now?"
It was Simmons's first field mission—and they had stumbled into a nightmare. A creature like this—possibly a basilisk—capable of speech, would be classified as Level Nine clearance in S.H.I.E.L.D. Level Ten information would be destroyed after reading.
"I'm out of time. Come with me, Simmons. I'll explain later."
Without another word, Sharon grabbed Simmons and led her upstairs. Stripped of all gear and unable to contact HQ, they had only seconds left before the giant snake made a move.
As they climbed the stairs, Sharon whispered urgently, "This is the only option, Simmons."
"Agent Carter! Please respond! Agent Carter!"
"Agent Simmons, do you copy!? Simmons!?"
At the S.H.I.E.L.D. mobile command center, Coulson's voice was tight with concern. They had lost all contact with Sharon and Simmons. The satellite feed had gone dark, the systems hacked, and all tracking data wiped clean.
Beside him, Fitz couldn't help but yell, "Mr. Coulson, we have to send backup now! Simmons is in danger!"
Coulson remained silent, his expression grave. He was thinking through the options. At this point, the only ones who could pull off a rescue might be the Avengers—but with no intel, sending them would be blind.
Crackle... crackle...
Suddenly, the communicator came back to life. Fitz scrambled to the console and shouted, "Sir! Connection reestablished! We're linked to Carter and Simmons' devices!"
Coulson grabbed the receiver and called out, "Agent Carter! Agent Simmons! Report your status immediately!"
But as he shouted, his face slowly twisted into confusion. A strange sound was coming through the speaker.
Thumps. Rhythmic and rapid—like raindrops falling on a banana leaf.
Then—muffled voices. Moans. Gasping. Intermixed cries from Sharon and Simmons.
The entire room went silent.
In that instant, everyone present realized exactly what was happening on the other end.
"Simmons!"
Fitz rushed forward, grabbing the communication device and shouting with such force he nearly broke it. Coulson quickly stepped in to stop him—after all, they had been shouting for a while, and still, there had been no response. That likely meant the other side wasn't listening.
"Check the latest intel. Contact nearby units. Search the Kain estate immediately!"
Coulson barked out the order, and the agents in the room quickly relayed it. But Fitz, who was supposed to monitor the signal, collapsed weakly to the ground.
The sounds coming from the communicator—Simmons' gradually more cheerful cries—hit him like a punch to the gut. It felt like the world was ending.
"Cheer up, Fitz. We're going to get them out," Coulson said firmly.
Even with those words, it took Fitz four or five minutes to regain his composure. Throughout that time, the communicator continued to broadcast those indescribable sounds—bursts of strained laughter, shouts, and gasps.
Though Coulson had ordered nearby S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to move in for a rescue, they were immediately intercepted. Armed forces surrounded them, held them at gunpoint, and the entire squad was taken into military custody.
No matter how hard Fitz tried, he couldn't breach the firewall Kain's AI—the Red Queen—had erected. This kind of system wasn't his specialty, and it showed.
A few hours later, Sharon Carter and Gemma Simmons emerged from Kain's estate. The massive snake had vanished, and a sleek sports car waited outside with its door open.
Sharon, with a grim expression, helped Simmons—who was clearly in bad shape—into the car. The toll of hours of "activity" had left Simmons barely able to stand, and she stumbled the moment she stepped outside.
But they were alive. They also carried with them questionable data: fabricated intelligence and information about the giant snake.
Sharon wasn't in much better condition herself. Despite her rigorous training, she could barely take a step without wincing. After settling into the driver's seat, she sat silently for a long moment before finally starting the car.
They drove slowly down the road and exited Kain's estate. Just moments later, the communicator on Sharon's body crackled to life. She quickly answered, connecting with Coulson.
"Agent Carter."
Sharon's voice was hoarse and exhausted. "We'll talk when I get back, Coulson." She wanted to bury this incident—but deep down, she knew it would be impossible to hide.
When they returned, Nick Fury was already waiting. Only he and Coulson were present. Jemma Simmons had been sent to rest—physically and mentally drained.
A medical checkup confirmed she was suffering from extreme fatigue due to overexertion. The doctor prescribed rest and glucose.
After a brief and vague recounting of the events, Sharon handed over a hard drive Kain had given her before she left. Coulson informed Nick Fury of the suspicious audio transmissions, immediately suspecting Kain was mocking them somehow.
Fury's expression darkened with every word, his hatred deepening.
But what stunned both Coulson and Sharon was the content of the hard drive.
Director Malik, Alexander Pierce, and many other high-ranking officials were confirmed to be part of the Hydra organization.
Kain was meticulous in his selections—anyone who was useless to him or who might obstruct his takeover of Hydra was exposed to the bald spy (Nick Fury).
After reviewing the information, Nick Fury's expression turned grim.
"This is top-secret, Level 8 clearance," he said firmly. "No leaks. Coulson, suspend all current operations and wait for coordination with the Avengers. Also, grant Captain America temporary Level 8 clearance."
"Understood, Director," Coulson responded with equal seriousness. If the intel was accurate, S.H.I.E.L.D. was on the verge of descending into chaos.
After having Isaac escort the two female agents away, Kain returned to his study, reinvigorated by the magical research that lay ahead.
Over the next few days, Kain and Betty visited General Ross's residence. There, Kain shared everything about Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D., emphasizing that both organizations were highly dangerous.
He explained that S.H.I.E.L.D. needed to purge Hydra for its own survival, while the remaining Hydra elites would inevitably have to fight back to preserve themselves.
Thaddeus Ross, driven by national security interests, could choose to target both factions. Doing so would not only position him as a strong leader in the public eye but also earn him widespread support and votes.
With his hands temporarily free, Kain knew it wasn't yet time to claim Hydra's legacy. He still needed to finish compiling his magic tome, and time was slipping away. So, after discussing things with Betty and gathering his prepared materials, he set off—straight for the Ninja World.