𝑾𝑰𝑪𝑲𝑬𝑫 𝑫𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑴𝑺 ━━ 𝚂𝚝𝚎𝚟𝚎 𝚁𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚜

18 HYDRA vs. INHUMAN

LATER that same day, the team gathered in Sam's modest kitchen. The atmosphere was heavy with tension, but there was a sense of camaraderie that hadn't been there before. Kalum looked significantly better after Natasha's care, though the exhaustion still lingered in his eyes. Steve had cleaned himself up and now stood by the kitchen counter, looking as resolute as ever.

Sam placed a fresh pot of coffee on the table, offering a comforting gesture amid the brewing storm. "So," Sam began, breaking the silence, "fill me in on what happened."

"Uh, before we get into that whole shenanigans. I wanted to thank you for the hospitality, Sam. I'm Kalum, by the way," Kalum said, extending his hand. His warm smile and relaxed demeanor seemed to lighten the atmosphere instantly.

Sam shook his hand, returning the smile. "Good to meet you, Kalum."

Kalum took a deep breath, "It started with a signal that led us to an abandoned military base. We found a hidden room filled with old computers, and that's when things went sideways."

Steve nodded, adding, "We activated the system and discovered an old HYDRA scientist, Arnim Zola, had uploaded his consciousness into the computer network. He revealed that HYDRA had been working within SHIELD all along."

Sam's eyes widened in disbelief. "HYDRA? I thought they were taken down during World War II."

Kalum continued, his voice tinged with frustration, "We were played, Sam. Everything we thought we knew was a lie.  Queen Medusa has been using HYDRA to manipulate events from behind the scenes for decades. They were responsible for the deaths of Howard and Maria Stark, and even Fury. They created chaos to make people give up their freedom for security."

Sam leaned forward, intrigued and concerned. "And who is this Queen Medusa you mentioned?"

Steve interjected, his voice steady and authoritative. "Queen Medusa is the ruler of the Inhumans. We don't know much about this civilization. But she's been orchestrating HYDRA's movements for a long time, even before I became Captain America. She's the one pulling the strings."

Sam ran a hand over his face, trying to absorb all the information. "This is bigger than I thought."

Natasha moved the conversation forward, her tone urgent. "So, the question is: who in SHIELD could launch a domestic missile strike?"

Steve didn't hesitate. "Pierce."

"Who happens to be sitting on top of the most secure building in the world," Kalum stressed, frustration evident in his voice.

"But he's not working alone," Steve pointed out, his eyes narrowing.

"Medusa," Kalum stated firmly.

"And Zola's algorithm was on the Lemurian Star," Natasha reminded them.

"So was Jasper Sitwell," Kalum added, glancing at Natasha. She nodded subtly, confirming his suspicion.

Kalum continued, his voice filled with conviction, "I knew something was off about that whole operation."

Steve leaned in closer to the table, his expression intense. "So, the real question is: how do the two most wanted people in Washington to kidnap a SHIELD officer in broad daylight?"

Kalum frowned, leaning back slightly. "Wait, kidnap?"

Steve smirked, shaking his head. "The answer is: you don't." Sam stepped forward, dropping a file on the table. The trio immediately took interest, and Steve opened the file to reveal classified information.