The wind carried the distant echoes of sirens through the city, but Alexander Carter paid them no mind. The Helicarrier was in chaos after Loki's escape—SHIELD scrambling to recover, the Avengers regrouping. Loki had made his move. Now it was time for Alexander to make his.
Perched on the rooftop of a half-constructed skyscraper, he let his gaze drift across the city. Too much noise. Too many pieces shifting at once. The Avengers would be too focused on Loki's next step. SHIELD would be too busy cleaning up their mess.
That left HYDRA.
Alexander's eyes narrowed. They were still moving. The Helicarrier attack had been a distraction for more than just Loki's escape—HYDRA had seized the opportunity to operate in the dark.
And Alexander was going to stop them.
Moving through the city was second nature to him. Shadows bent to his will, allowing him to weave through the streets unseen. A whispered rumor here, a ghostly sighting there—HYDRA thought they were the predators. They didn't realize they were the prey.
He tracked them to an old warehouse district near the river. They were careful. No insignias. No direct transmissions. But their habits gave them away. The way they moved, the formation of the guards—it was unmistakable.
Alexander crouched in the darkness, watching as they loaded crates into an unmarked truck. He focused, letting his abyssal sight extend, sensing the pulse of energy within the stolen cargo. Not ordinary weapons. Not conventional tech. Something Loki had given them.
A voice rang through the night. "Hurry up. We need to move before SHIELD sends their dogs."
Alexander smirked. Too late.
He moved before they even realized he was there. The first man didn't scream—his body simply vanished into the void. The second turned, weapon raised, but a tendril of darkness shot forward, snatching him into the abyss.
Panic spread through the group, but by the time they reacted, three more were gone. Alexander was not a soldier. He was a specter.
The last man standing, likely the leader, stumbled backward, pulling out a modified pistol. He barely had time to aim before Alexander was in front of him, one hand gripping his throat, the other brushing against the crate.
"What's inside?" His voice was quiet, but there was no need to raise it.
The HYDRA operative coughed, trying to free himself. "You're too late. This war is bigger than you."
Alexander's grip tightened. "That's not an answer."
Before he could press further, a sharp whistle cut through the air.
The sound of a shield slicing toward him.
Alexander twisted, letting go of the HYDRA soldier just as the vibranium shield slammed into the ground beside him.
Captain America stepped forward, his stance guarded but firm. Black Widow followed close behind, guns already raised.
Alexander sighed. Of course.
"Care to explain this?" Steve's voice was steady, but there was a clear edge to it.
Alexander tilted his head toward the unconscious HYDRA operative. "Would you rather I left him standing?"
Steve didn't lower his guard. "That depends. Who exactly are you?"
Black Widow's gaze was sharp, her memory no doubt recalling their last meeting. "You don't follow orders well."
Alexander smirked. "I don't take orders from SHIELD."
Steve's jaw tensed. "Then maybe you should start."
Alexander said nothing. He studied them both, weighing his options. He wasn't here to fight them. But he wasn't here to answer their questions, either.
Black Widow took a cautious step forward. "You knew this was happening. You're tracking Loki, aren't you?"
Alexander's gaze flickered toward the crate. The stolen tech. The hidden transmissions. The pattern of HYDRA's movements. It was all leading toward something, something neither SHIELD nor the Avengers had seen yet.
He met Natasha's eyes. "You're looking in the wrong places."
Steve frowned. "What does that mean?"
Alexander didn't answer. Instead, he let the abyss swirl around his feet, the darkness rising. "Figure it out."
And before either of them could react, he was gone.
Back on the Helicarrier, Natasha relayed the encounter to Fury. His expression remained unreadable as he listened, fingers steepled together.
Hill was the first to speak. "Orders, sir?"
Fury exhaled. "We don't engage. Not yet."
Steve, standing nearby, folded his arms. "That's a mistake. He's dangerous."
Fury nodded. "So is half the damn planet. But until we know exactly what game he's playing, we let him play."
Natasha glanced at Steve before adding, "He knew something. He wasn't just tracking HYDRA—he's following a bigger pattern."
Fury's expression darkened. "Then we make sure we're watching when he finds out what it is."
Somewhere in the city, Alexander stood in the shadow of a crumbling building, staring at the skyline. Something had shifted.
He had been careful. Always moving in the dark, staying one step ahead. And yet… he felt it.
A presence. Something watching him.
Not SHIELD. Not the Avengers.
Something worse.
Alexander's fingers curled into a fist. Loki knew he existed now.
And that changed everything.
End of Chapter 65
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