At this moment, two assault transports skimmed the ocean's surface at low altitude, moving at breakneck speed.
Their high maneuverability and stealth technology allowed them to approach one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s hidden bases undetected.
This was a facility that had once housed the shattered remains of the Destroyer Armor—until it was obliterated by the Rainbow Bridge.
Solomon had engineered that event himself.
And because of that, he knew every location that had ever stored pieces of the Destroyer.
The seeds he had planted in 2012 were now bearing fruit.
"Commander, we are approaching the target."
The artificial pilot reported to Tita.
Tita nodded, then turned sharply—striding toward the transport hold.
Her deep crimson robes billowed like roses in smoke.
Her jet-black armor and silver skull emblems were symbols of her duty.
Her voice came through the command system inside their sealed helmets, delivering orders directly into each artificial being's ears.
To an outsider, it was nothing but a dense stream of electronic static.
The transport hold carried the scents of machine oil and rose balm.
Tita could feel the air heated by the cooling systems of their power packs—a temperature that would be unbearable for an ordinary human.
She activated her armor's air filtration system, blocking out the smell of machine oil.
But the rose balm lingered.
It was a gift from their master—every artificial being had received a set of cosmetics from him.
Realizing her own carelessness, Tita pressed her lips together in frustration.
Then she remembered—she had applied black lipstick as well.
Behind her, several Sisters flexed their steel wings, impatient for battle.
Others had their heads bowed in prayer, reciting the sacred verses written by Lady Diana, their master's closest servant.
"The Hydra targets have been uploaded to your systems."
"Your servos will mark all enemy combatants."
"Eliminate all opposition."
"Rescue the priority targets—Agent Phil Coulson's team and Agent Victoria Hand."
"Victoria Hand must be extracted alive."
Meanwhile, several other assault transports were heading to different locations.
These included:
S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Sandbox facility The Cryo-Containment Base The aircraft carriers drifting across the oceans
The Sisterhood's manpower was limited.
Each unit had to exert its full strength—using portals and successive waves of strikes to complete their objectives.
Each squad leader carried a portal scroll, personally crafted by Solomon.
Once a team secured its target, they would link up with the others for the next mission.
This entire operation relied on Wakanda's satellite communications network.
Tita felt the weight of her master's frustration.
"Prepare for deployment."
The transport doors slowly opened.
The cold ocean air rushed in, sweeping away the stifling heat inside the cabin.
Tita felt a momentary chill against her face.
Then she leapt out.
Her steel wings ignited, propelling her toward S.H.I.E.L.D.'s base.
Behind her, the demolition specialists and fire support units followed.
Their mission—to breach S.H.I.E.L.D.'s defenses, clearing the way for the rest of the Sisterhood.
"I wish we had a tank."
Katherine grumbled before leaping out as well.
She was leading the shock troops, armed with chainswords and bolt pistols.
When the fighting began, she would be at the very front.
Tita ignored the complaint.
While Stephanie had planned the operation, both Solomon and Tita had signed off on it.
The massive siege cannons of their heavy tanks had no place in a rescue mission.
Their few remaining ultra-heavy tanks had been reserved for key battles.
Gideon Malick had handed over a wealth of intelligence on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secrets.
Stephanie now controlled all of it.
Solomon had allowed her to take full command of the Malick family.
He admired her cold-blooded efficiency in purging internal opposition.
Now, with absolute control, she had mobilized the Malick family's full resources to aid this operation.
This signified the Malick family's complete alignment with Solomon.
Before the battle began, every artificial being stationed at the Malick estate had been recalled by Tita.
Tita understood the full scope of the plan.
They needed to secure S.H.I.E.L.D.'s assets before the other Hydra heads could react to Alexander Pierce's failure.
Solomon planned to swallow S.H.I.E.L.D. whole—but not all of it.
Some obvious assets had been deliberately discarded—left as bait to draw out hidden Hydra factions.
Solomon wanted both Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D.
When Stephanie realized his full plan, she had nearly fainted from excitement.
The insatiable hunger for power and wealth thrilled her more than any physical pleasure ever could.
Solomon had immediately noticed the pheromones in the air.
If he hadn't rejected her outright, Stephanie would have thrown off her clothes and jumped him right there.
Of course, Solomon wasn't about to tell Romanoff or Rogers any of this.
"What's your plan?"
Natasha Romanoff asked, crossing her arms.
Solomon sighed dramatically.
"Nick Fury is my friend."
"Even though we argue, even though we disagree on a lot of things… we're still good friends."
He said this with a straight face, as if he had never considered killing Nick Fury before.
Natasha did not fully believe him.
But Steve Rogers—being Steve Rogers—patted Solomon on the shoulder, as if comforting a young man who had never experienced true loss.
Solomon winked at Natasha.
"We're fugitives."
Rogers stated plainly.
"This is dangerous."
"I'm a sorcerer, Captain Rogers."
Solomon still addressed him formally.
"I can do many things that mortals cannot."
"We have a flash drive that needs to be decrypted."
Natasha got straight to the point.
"And people will try to kill us for it. Unless—"
"Leave it to me."
Solomon grinned.
"I spent a whole semester studying computer science."
"Cracking a USB drive is child's play."
"Besides, I have additional assistance."
"Are you going to Stark?"
Natasha tilted her head.
"I know you have portals."
"No."
Solomon smirked.
"I have an AI."
"Though it's a bit lazy."
"Right now, the only reason we haven't been tracked…"
He pointed at a security camera in the distance.
"…is because our faces have been blurred."
"Even if S.H.I.E.L.D.'s facial recognition system comes online…"
"We still have a bit of time left."
"Good."
Steve Rogers exhaled in relief.
Placing a hand on Solomon's chest, he said—
"Let's move fast. Whatever's on that drive…"
"It might be the key to saving everything."
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