The next day, most of the world remained unaware that its power balance had drastically shifted. HYDRA had been all but annihilated, with only two significant figures—Red Skull and Hive—left standing, though now they were nothing more than leaders without an army.
"Let us go, you monsters!" Andy and Lauren struggled against their restraints as they were taken to Mutant Academy, their faces full of rage and grief over their father's death.
"Garus, who are they?" Logan asked, his brows furrowed in surprise as he took in the sight of the two captives.
"They're the children of Baron Strucker, HYDRA's leader. It seems they've been kept in the dark about quite a few things. I'm leaving them in your hands," Garus said as he handed the siblings over. Then, remembering their unique abilities, he added, "Be careful. They can suppress mutant powers."
Logan smirked. "Even without my healing factor, taking them down would be a walk in the park."
"Old man, I swear I'll kill you!" Andy spat, enraged by Logan's dismissive attitude. "Let us go—now!"
The events that had unfolded above S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters in New York the previous day spread quickly. After all, it was impossible to hide the massive Helicarriers and the Skrull warships that had clashed in the skies.
The people of New York had grown oddly accustomed to such battles, given how frequently they occurred.
Garus' return brought mixed emotions among the world's political elite. His ever-growing power terrified them, yet they couldn't ignore him. And so, despite their fears, the government and military still invited him to the congressional meeting addressing the HYDRA crisis.
As Garus arrived at the Capitol, he spotted Natasha Romanoff and Agent Maria Hill waiting outside.
"Where's Fury? Why isn't he here?" Garus asked, scanning the area. Fury should've been deeply invested in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s survival. Why wasn't he making a last-ditch effort to save it? And where was Steve?
Hill answered, "Fury has decided to retire. He knew that once we exposed HYDRA's infiltration, S.H.I.E.L.D. would be finished."
"That means you're out of a job too, doesn't it?" Garus asked. Fury had always valued S.H.I.E.L.D. above all else, and Hill had served it loyally for years. The idea that it was simply gone now had to be hard for her.
Hill smiled cryptically. "Actually, I've already lined up another job. You'll find out soon enough."
"Don't look at me," Natasha said, pulling Hill along. "I have no idea what she's talking about. I'm heading to work at Stark Tower with Tony."
Inside the Capitol building, the room wasn't crowded, but the attendees were all influential figures. Most kept their distance from Garus, except for one man who approached him before the meeting began.
"Mr. Garus."
"Norman Osborn. What do you want?" Garus recognized him immediately. Azeroth Technologies and Oscorp often crossed paths in the arms industry, though Garus had never been fond of Osborn's unstable personality.
Before Osborn could answer, a staffer interrupted. "Gentlemen, the meeting is about to begin."
As Garus entered the chamber, he noticed Tony Stark was present as well—though he looked half-asleep.
"Silence, please. We are here today to discuss…"
The meeting covered a range of issues, none of which particularly interested Garus. More than once, he considered just walking out.
The President was furious about what had happened at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. Billions of dollars had been spent on those three Helicarriers, only for them to be destroyed. And he had personally approved the funding.
"Where's Steve Rogers?" the Secretary of Defense asked Natasha. "Because of you two, we've lost our intelligence and security infrastructure. How do you propose we handle the threats of alien invasions and terrorist organizations now?"
As he spoke, the Secretary shot a pointed glance at Garus.
"S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Natasha scoffed. "Dismantling it was the best thing that could have happened. It was entirely compromised. The intelligence HYDRA provided you was nothing but lies."
The Secretary countered, "That intelligence was provided by you, Agent Romanoff. Some in this room believe you should be imprisoned for your actions rather than standing here defending them."
"You won't imprison us—"
The President cut her off. "I know what you're about to say. You think we still need you, that we can't afford to lose the Avengers. But you act without regard for the consequences."
Frustration was evident in his tone. Clearly, these grievances had been simmering for a long time. "Someone must be held accountable. You and Steve Rogers won't walk away from this unscathed."
At that moment, two military officers stepped forward, prepared to arrest Natasha.
"Hold on," Garus interjected, rising to his feet. "They're Avengers. During the Battle of New York, they put their lives on the line to save this city."
The Secretary of Defense replied coldly, "Mr. Garus, actions have consequences. Do you think the world would fall apart without them? That aliens would overrun Earth if they weren't here?"
"I never said that," Garus replied calmly. "But since we're talking about responsibility, I was S.H.I.E.L.D.'s security consultant. I personally destroyed the Helicarriers. Are you going to arrest me too?"
"And me," Tony suddenly chimed in, now fully awake. "I was a S.H.I.E.L.D. consultant as well."
The President and the Secretary exchanged frustrated glances. They knew all too well how their predecessors had been forced to resign under pressure. After a tense pause, they relented.
"Alright, gentlemen," Osborn broke the silence. "China has already established the S.P.E.A.R. to combat global threats. With S.H.I.E.L.D. now dismantled, we must form a new organization."
As the room focused on him, Osborn continued, "After consulting with the President, we've decided to establish H.A.M.M.E.R. I will serve as its director, with former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Maria Hill as my deputy."
Garus and Natasha exchanged shocked glances. No one had expected Hill to join a new organization so quickly.
"Mr. Garus, Mr. Stark, I'd like you both to join H.A.M.M.E.R. as well," Osborn said.
"No thanks," Garus responded flatly. He saw the ambition in Osborn's eyes and wanted no part of it. Without another word, he turned and walked toward the exit.
Just as he was about to leave, his gaze fell upon an elderly man with white hair. There was something familiar about him, yet he couldn't quite place it. He hesitated, suddenly unsure of what to do next.
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