The person being interrogated in the video was none other than Batroc, the mercenary who had fled the ship.
Steve was surprised to see that he had already been captured by S.H.I.E.L.D.
In the video, the interrogator asked, "Batroc, who hired you?"
Steve turned to Pierce, "Is this live?"
"Yes," Pierce replied, "They apprehended him last night at a safe house in Algiers. Though, it wasn't very safe."
Steve asked, "Are you saying he's a suspect in Nick Fury's assassination?"
Pierce shook his head, "Batroc doesn't go for assassinations."
"It's more complicated than that."
Pierce continued, "Batroc was hired by an anonymous individual to attack the Lemurian Star. They communicated via email and paid him through wire transfers."
"The funds passed through seventeen dummy accounts before landing in a holding company."
"The company was registered under the name Jacob Vich."
As he spoke, Pierce handed a file to Steve.
Steve took the file, skimming through it as he asked, "Should I know him?"
Pierce replied, "You shouldn't. Vich died six years ago."
"His last known address was 14-35 Elmhurst Street."
Steve listened carefully while flipping through the documents.
Pierce added, "When I first met Nick Fury, I learned that his mother lived at 14-37 Elmhurst Street."
Steve looked up at Pierce, "Are you implying that Fury hired the pirates?"
"Why would he do that?"
Pierce explained, "The prevailing theory is that the hijacking was a cover for a secret intelligence exchange."
"When the exchange went south, it cost Nick his life."
Steve objected, "If you really knew Nick Fury, you'd know that's impossible."
Pierce nodded slightly, "Why else would you have come to see me?"
Pierce stood and walked toward the window, speaking as he went, "Do you know why I'm on the World Security Council?"
"It wasn't by choice. Nick Fury asked me to."
"Because we were both realists."
Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, Pierce gazed out at the city and continued, "We understood that, beyond all the diplomacy and pretense, building a better world sometimes requires tearing the old one down."
"And that inevitably creates enemies."
Pierce turned back to Steve, his tone growing sharper.
"They'll call you ruthless and dirty because you're willing to do the unspeakable for the sake of something greater."
"And the thought of those people living comfortably now—"
Pierce's voice hardened, his gaze piercing, "It makes me very, very angry."
At this moment, Pierce walked back from the window to his desk and continued speaking:
"Captain, you were the last person Nick saw before he died. I don't believe that's a coincidence."
"I think you feel the same."
"And don't forget, he promised you the Super Soldier Serum."
As he spoke, Pierce opened a briefcase on the desk in front of him, revealing its contents.
"This is a vial of the Super Soldier Serum, a product of Charles Agency."
"This item is worth $3 billion on the market or the equivalent of a ninja-grade energy-based 084 artifact."
"This is also why some within the agency suspect he was making a deal with you."
Steve stared at the serum, deeply tempted.
He knew that if he handed over the flash drive Nick Fury entrusted to him, he could easily obtain the serum from Pierce.
Yet, his sense of justice and his own principles wouldn't allow him to do that.
Even if he had to trade his shield at Charles Agency, he would never use something entrusted to him by Fury, especially when Fury's last words to him were to trust no one.
Pierce pressed on:
"So, I'll ask you again—why was he at your place?"
"If you answer that question, I'll fulfill whatever promise Nick made to you."
Steve looked again at the serum before him. Despite his desire, he replied, "He told me not to trust anyone."
Pierce raised an eyebrow, "Not even him?"
Steve glanced at the serum one more time before stating, "Sorry, but those were his last words."
"Excuse me." With that, Steve picked up his shield and prepared to leave.
"Captain," Pierce called out.
Steve paused and turned back to look at him.
Pierce said, "Someone killed my friend. I must find out who's behind it."
"Anyone who stands in my way will regret it."
"No matter who they are."
"And without my approval, no one can currently access the Super Soldier Serum or the 084 artifacts."
Steve looked at Pierce in silence for a few seconds before replying, "Understood."
He then turned and left Pierce's office, heading to the elevator.
In the elevator, Steve instructed the system, "Take me to the control center."
"Beep. Confirmed."
Just as the elevator doors were about to close, Rumlow stepped in, blocking them with his hand.
Turning to his team behind him, he ordered:
"All STRIKE team members, get ready."
"Understood."
"Yes, sir."
Rumlow and his strike team entered the elevator, and he added, "Take us to Evidence Lockup."
###
Access all remaining chapters right now: p#tre#n...com /gfdsa