The silence in the room was only broken by the soft rustle of papers as Klaus studied the document Nathan had just handed over. His eyes gradually lit up, a gleam of recognition flickering within them. The schematics and technological blueprints laid out before him weren't fantasy or fiction—they were real. Achievable.
The advanced steel arms outlined in the files were all within reach, at least for someone with Klaus's level of expertise.
As Klaus remained absorbed in the technical drawings, a creaking noise interrupted his thoughts.
The door opened with a soft squeal, and a young girl stepped inside, pale and sickly, her small frame dwarfed by the doorway. Her voice was faint but warm with affection.
"Daddy..."
Klaus's expression softened for a brief moment before it hardened again into a fatherly sternness. "Sweetheart, what are you doing here? I told you to stay at home."
The little girl looked up at him with teary eyes. "I... I missed you, Daddy."
With a sigh, Klaus leaned down and gently embraced her. "Alright, alright, my precious. But this can't happen again. Daddy told you, it's dangerous to be around when I'm working."
The girl nodded quietly, nestling into his chest. "I understand."
Klaus affectionately stroked her hair and sat back down, tossing the document onto the coffee table. He returned his attention to Nathan.
"So," he said, his tone turning businesslike again, "What exactly are you offering in exchange for this tech?"
Nathan met his gaze calmly. "Vibranium. Enough to forge a shield."
Klaus chuckled as if Nathan had just told a naive joke. "Enough for a shield? That's not going to cut it."
"A mechanical arm—even one of this quality—can be replicated anywhere by someone with enough skill. Yours is impressive, but it's nowhere near the value of a Vibranium shield."
Klaus propped his feet up on the table and ran a hand through his daughter's hair. "Plus, you'll need to add twenty million dollars."
Nathan's brow furrowed. That was far beyond what he could afford. He quickly cycled through his mental inventory—he had some stolen HYDRA research documents, scattered files on superhuman subjects, and a partial formula for the super soldier serum.
But that serum formula was a forbidden trump card. Sharing it would make him a target for every global power, government, and mercenary faction.
Just then, one of Klaus's men stood up, excusing himself with the pretense of needing to use the restroom. Nathan noticed something strange.
The man's demeanor was off. His posture was tense, too deliberate. A little too rehearsed.
Acting on instinct, Nathan waited a few seconds, then casually excused himself as well. He followed the man quietly, keeping his steps light. Outside the bathroom, he stopped and tilted his head.
From inside, he heard a muffled voice speaking hurriedly on the phone. With his enhanced hearing, Nathan focused and captured every word.
"Hello? Yes, it's me. Nathan is at Klaus's place."
The voice on the other end replied coldly, "Keep him occupied. I'll alert command immediately. A strike team is en route—four Winter Soldiers, traveling by air. They'll be there within minutes."
"As long as you can delay him, he won't escape."
"Understood," said the man inside. "I'll do what I can."
Nathan's eyes narrowed.
Bang!
He kicked the door open with brutal force. The wooden panel slammed into the man inside, who let out a sharp cry of pain and stumbled to the floor.
Nathan grabbed him by the collar and dragged him out into the hallway.
Back in the living room, the mercenaries spun around at the sudden noise. Several raised their rifles, aiming toward the bathroom.
"Hey! What the hell are you doing?!"
"Let him go!"
Still holding the man by the collar, Nathan's expression turned cold.
"Trading with me while double-crossing HYDRA?" His voice was sharp, accusing. "If this is how you deal, I'm out."
The mercenaries glanced at each other, confused. A few seemed genuinely unaware of what Nathan was talking about.
Nathan ignored them and walked into the room, still gripping the informant. He knew full well—if anyone dared to fire, they'd be dead before their bullet hit.
Klaus shielded his daughter instinctively. "Explain yourself," he demanded. "What betrayal? HYDRA?"
Without a word, Nathan pulled out his phone and played back the audio recording he had just captured.
The voice echoed throughout the room.
Klaus turned pale as he stared at the man in Nathan's grasp. "You traitor... You've been working for HYDRA this whole time?"
"What does HYDRA want from me?" he demanded.
Nathan observed Klaus closely and realized something important: he was genuinely shocked. His confusion wasn't faked. Which could only mean one thing.
"This guy's a mole," Nathan said. "HYDRA embedded him in your team to monitor you. Classic move."
He turned back to the man. "Speak. What's HYDRA's endgame?"
The informant sneered, "I've got nothing to say."
Nathan gave a dark chuckle. "That's fine. You see, I've studied anatomy in ways most people never even imagine."
He casually pulled out two thin steel needles, gleaming under the lights.
"Let me describe a little trick. There's this spot—the upper orbital fissure, right behind the eye. And inside that area? The trigeminal nerve, specifically the central protrusion of the ganglion."
"If I were to slide one of these needles right into that fissure, I'd hit your brainstem, and you'd feel a type of pain so pure and excruciating, your mind would break before your body."
The man turned white as a sheet.
The needles began descending.
"Wait! Wait! I'll talk!"
The fear in his voice cracked through his false bravado.
The informant quickly spilled everything. HYDRA had been monitoring Klaus for years, obsessed with acquiring Vibranium. But Klaus had always been too cautious, never revealing the stash's location. So they waited. Lurking. Planting moles. Waiting for someone like Nathan to show up and give them a reason to strike.
Now, their opportunity had come.
"They plan to kill Klaus and take the Vibranium," the informant admitted.
Klaus's expression turned glacial.
Nathan muttered, "Figures. Everywhere I go, HYDRA shows up. I'm like a walking beacon for trouble."
Just then—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunfire erupted outside.
One of the mercenaries rushed to the window and peeked through a slit in the curtain.
"They're here! Well-trained and heavily armed—our guys outside are getting shredded!"
"We need to reinforce the perimeter now!"
Without waiting for further instruction, the mercenaries scrambled out, weapons drawn, rushing to meet the attackers.
Klaus pulled his daughter close, pressing her head into his chest.
"HYDRA's making their move," he said grimly.
Screams and automatic gunfire could be heard just beyond the door.
"Damn it!" one of the mercs shouted outside. "They've got air support! Heavy fire!"
"Hold the line!"
The building shook slightly as an explosion thundered nearby.
Nathan turned to Klaus. "Get your daughter out of here. I'll hold them off."
Klaus nodded, his usual smugness gone. "There's a tunnel beneath the fireplace. Leads into the sewers. We'll disappear."
Before they split, Klaus paused and looked at Nathan. "If we both make it through this... the Vibranium is yours."
Outside, war had arrived. And it wasn't waiting for anyone.
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