In the depths of the night, looking out the window at the twinkling starry lights, Alexander Pierce sighed, picked up the whiskey on the table and drank it all, for a high-ranking agent like him, alcohol can't shake a strong will, only those warm memories can really shake the faith in his heart.

It is hard to imagine that this middle-aged man, who has an ordinary appearance, like a civilian official in the government, has served as the former director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and is currently an important leader of the national security department, with countless dazzling halos on his body. It was he who personally appointed Nick Fury as the next director and blocked a lot of criticism from Congress and the White House for S.H.I.E.L.D.

But who would have thought that under those glorious images and prominent identities, Alexander Pierce actually has a real face that surprises everyone.

"Operation Winter Soldier failed, and the sweeping work has officially begun." Pierce indifferently threw down the headset and gave one last command.

With his order, the mysterious organization hidden behind the scenes, like a precision machine with the power turned on, operated in a tense and orderly manner, using huge energy to sweep away the traces that this assassination operation might leave behind.

If it weren't for the stupid energy giants who were scared out of Stark Industries' expansion plans, how could anyone have come up with such a desperate plan to assassinate Tony Stark? Not to mention how much turmoil it will cause, Nick Fury's investigation alone will make this group of Franklin interest group members who only have one picture in their eyes unable to eat and walk around.

Pierce complained helplessly, he had been hiding inside S.H.I.E.L.D., but he knew how much Nick Fury valued Tony Stark, not only out of extra care for the old man's son, but because the black director did see immeasurable value in that playboy.

It's a pity that Hydra's internal forces are intertwined, in addition to the S.H.I.E.L.D. spies led by Alexander Pierce, there is also another part of the forces led by White Hall, this unimaginably large and stealthy organization, I don't know how many capital groups or interest allies are behind it, and most of the time, the other party has no idea who they are cooperating with.

Pierce of course knows that Nick Fury's Avengers plan has been brewing for a long time, with the frequent appearance of superheroes, it has given the current director a headache, S.H.I.E.L.D. is a special body of the World Security Council dedicated to dealing with all kinds of unconventional events, and it is embarrassing that it does not have the strength to compete with superpowers, for ordinary people, national laws are social rules worth abiding, but for superpowers, it is like a dead letter, no deterrent at all.

After the long evolution of the predecessor Strategic Science Corps, and then to the Strategic Danger Intervention and Espionage Logistics Division, it has developed into S.H.I.E.L.D., which is now directly under the jurisdiction of the World Security Council.

"Only superpowers can deal with superpowers."

Pierce muttered the original words of the current director, which seemed to be very meaningful, S.H.I.E.L.D. expanded and expanded under the hands of Nick Fury, and now even he didn't know how far this special department had grown.

But none of that mattered, anyway, the stronger S.H.I.E.L.D., the more the mysterious organization that parasitized its body could get.

After a long wait, the world is about to usher in a new era, Pierce's eyes flashed with fanatical light, and words full of ambition and madness quietly echoed in the room-

"Chop off one head, grow two more! Long live the hydra! ”

…………

Kansas, in a sprawling estate in Wichita.

A middle-aged man with gray hair on his temples slammed the phone against the wall, and Fred Koch, who was in the prime of life, was tall and had a pair of glasses on the bridge of his nose, which made his gloomy face appear slightly softer.

"It's rubbish!"

An angry roar echoed in the study, and Fred was furious, who thought that the gang of partners belonging to the hidden organization would be able to successfully kill Tony Stark, the playboy, who would have thought that he had just received the news that the assassination operation had failed.

This middle-aged man, who is only forty years old, is at the helm of the Koch Industries Group, which manages the world's largest unlisted company, whose business includes oil, energy, chemicals, timber, etc., and can be said to radiate many industries, like a behemoth wielding countless tentacles.

With the promotion of Stark Industries' new energy, Koch Industries, which stands at the top of the industry, undoubtedly feels an invisible pressure, this time the opponent is different from the previous little minions who have no foundation, the other party itself has huge influence and funds, if Tony Stark is allowed to enter the energy industry, it is equivalent to sending a pocket full of banknotes directly.

Koch Industries owns refineries all over Alaska, Texas, Minnesota and other places, and also builds and buys oil pipelines, sits on the largest liquefied petroleum gas processing group in North America, occupies 25% of the total North American market, in the field of crude oil trade alone, the annual trade volume will exceed 700 million tons, and it is also the sixth largest power supplier in the United States, power supply business throughout the United States 50 states.

Fred Koch, who is at the helm of this huge conglomerate, is enough to be considered a well-deserved energy giant, both in terms of money and power, standing at the top of the country's pyramid.

However, in the face of Stark Industries, which has entered the energy market, Fred still feels threatened, first of all, Tony Stark's new energy is indeed more attractive, compared to the profits created, its cost is low, and with the support of its own strong strength, it does have the qualifications to challenge the industry giants.

If it weren't for the real pressure, he wouldn't have taken the risk of working with those mysterious guys, and his father had told him many times to try not to associate with those sneaky people hiding in the shadows.

"Fred, is the end of the world coming?" An old man with gray hair sat in a wheelchair and was pushed into the study by the young nanny behind him.

He is Jonathan Koch, the former helmsman of Koch Industries, and Fred's father, who is the decrepit old man who has expanded a small refinery into the largest privately held company in the United States and the world in just over 60 years, without relying on the financing function of the capital market.

"Father, did I wake you up?" Fred, who is usually commanding, does not have the slightest majesty in front of the old man.

"The whole manor can hear your roar, which makes me think that the end of the world is coming, otherwise why would you, as the helmsman of the Koch Work Group, be so irritable."

In the face of his father's teasing, Fred smiled awkwardly, he was just a momentary gaffe, after all, sending someone to assassinate this method is no longer a legitimate business competition.

The struggle between the big shots, unless it is a life-and-death battle that tears the skin, few people will take the initiative to break the rules of the game, especially the business of buying murder, which is really not on the table.

"Or is it for Stark's playboy?" The old man glanced at his son, his cloudy eyes rolling, and he stretched out his withered arm to grasp Fred's palm.

"Our family is the descendant of Dutch immigrants, and your grandfather bought the first oil refinery and gave it to me. Many people ask me the secret of doing business, in fact, there is only one sentence, 'don't believe in the financial game of the capital market', remember what I said when I handed over the company to you? ”

"Unless you ...... It's dead before Koch can go on the market. Fred was half-kneeling, burying his face in his father's thin arm.

"We are rooted in this country and radiate our influence to all fields, Stark certainly has the drive and dares to break the rules, but the pioneers often have to pay a heavy price, Koch Industries has never been afraid of challenges, and no one can really bring us down!" The old man stared at his son tightly and said slowly: "Don't worry about those dangers that don't exist, a sumptuous cake has countless people who want to get involved, but we are not sharers, but makers." ”

Fred nodded, he understood what his father meant, wanting to start a new energy era is not an overnight thing, it may take several generations of efforts, he was just stimulated by Stark Industries' big moves.

"There are more than enemies in business, and since the arrival of a new era is the general trend, then we can also choose to cooperate with Stark." The old man patted his son on the shoulder and said earnestly: "Don't stick to the family foundation, I never play financial games, because at that time, I couldn't afford to lose, and you have the capital to lose, so don't be afraid to go to the gambling table." ”

"In response to the changes of the times, Osborne's smart grid is a great opportunity to take the first step."

Fred made a note in his heart, before leaving the study, the old man looked at the successor of the family business with stern eyes, like a mighty old lion, "Don't cooperate with those people anymore, they are greedy snakes that will never be fed, and they will only swallow you up in the end!" ”