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[Frog] Chapter 244: Pierce's Escape
🕑 Added 2024-12-30 16:37:51 +0000 UTCAlan glanced at Pierce with a hint of helplessness. If he were to intervene directly, it would feel like an overuse of his abilities. For this mission, his only goal was to ensure that Pierce did not seize the Helicarrier.
"Kill him! Kill him!"
Pierce roared, his face purple with rage. The successive interruptions by superheroes had left him seething with fury, his anger almost visibly radiating from his eyes.
Gunfire erupted like a storm, bullets flying toward Alan as though cost were no concern. But such conventional weapons posed no threat to him. Alan stood firm, watching the bullets seemingly slow down as they passed by him. It was a technique he had picked up from movies and never imagined he would actually use.
Ordinary firearms were useless against Alan. One of Hydra's squad captains quickly set up an RPG. A rocket streaked toward him, trailing fiery exhaust. Alan casually waved his right hand, and the rocket exploded just before reaching him. The resulting blast sent waves of heat and mist into the air, only managing to push Alan back a few steps.
The power of the Emperor exceeded everyone's expectations. Pierce's expression darkened as he glanced at a nearby Quinjet. "Retreat for now! We're leaving in the Quinjet!"
The Hydra soldiers immediately received the command, and the engines of several Quinjets roared to life simultaneously. Pierce turned and sprinted toward one of the aircraft, leaving behind soldiers who were prepared to give their lives to stall Alan.
"These people are brainwashed far too effectively—they're not even afraid of death," Alan muttered, shaking his head. With Pierce already fleeing, killing these minions seemed pointless.
Before everyone's astonished eyes, the Emperor simply took off and flew away.
The Hydra soldiers were baffled, while on Captain America's side, the battle was nearing its conclusion. Bartok, despite his agility, couldn't match Cap's stamina and endurance. Gradually, he began to falter.
"What a monster!" Bartok muttered, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. His energy was completely drained, and continuing the fight would only lead to his defeat.
"I'm done. You win. We'll fight again next time!"
With that, a rope descended from a hovering Quinjet. Bartok grabbed it and disappeared into the night. In the distance, Bucky also grabbed a rope and was whisked away by another Quinjet.
Tony prepared to pursue, but Captain America's voice came through the communicator:
"Don't bother chasing them. Their mission was to steal the Helicarrier. Now that they're retreating, they'll vanish quickly."
Tony landed as Coulson came running from the distance, drenched in sweat.
"Cap, someone stopped Pierce earlier. If not for that, he would’ve succeeded," Coulson said, catching his breath.
"Who was it?" Cap asked.
Coulson shook his head. "I only saw someone in armor. Don't any of you know him?"
At this, both Tony and Cap thought of the Emperor simultaneously.
Could it really have been him?
No one could provide an answer. The remaining Hydra soldiers were still scattered throughout the base. After a brief discussion, the team split up to capture the remaining operatives.
---
Three hours later, in the base's office.
The group sat with Coulson, assessing the aftermath of the battle.
"This fight cost us four Quinjets, several agents, and a lot of research data, all taken by Hydra," Coulson said, his face filled with worry and regret over the losses.
Suddenly, Hawkeye broke the silence.
"Why has Bucky gone back to Hydra?" he asked.
...
