The Savior of American Comics? I'm the Subspace Evil God!

Chapters 590, 1096, and 1097: The Threat from Ross, Pierce's Defenses Were Breached.

"[The Daily Bugle]?!"

Alexander Pierce sat bolt upright, the feigned calm on his face vanishing instantly, his voice rising sharply, roaring with disbelief and rage:
"Rumlow, you fucking have to be kidding me, right?"

"Isn't the Daily Bugle's headquarters in New York? How did they suddenly appear in Washington, D.C.? And they're right there with you guys... How is this possible?!"

"Can anyone tell me what the hell is going on?"

The roar echoed in the office, and Hitwell shrank back in fright, not daring to breathe.

Brock Rumlow on the other end of the phone was clearly unable to answer the question either, stammering and unable to give a coherent answer.

Just then, Hitwell, who had been trying to keep a low profile, seemed to suddenly remember something and hurriedly pulled his phone out of his trouser pocket, his fingers trembling so much he could barely hold it.

He quickly unlocked his screen and opened the [Daily Horn] live stream. After seeing the content, his face turned deathly pale, and he exclaimed in a trembling voice:

"Sir...Sir, something terrible has happened! The Daily Bugle has broadcast live the news that Captain Rogers has been arrested by us...no, by S.H.I.E.L.D.!!"

As he spoke, Hitwell, holding his phone in both hands as if it were a bomb about to explode, staggered to Alexander Pierce's desk.

"What?!" Alexander Pierce's pupils suddenly contracted, and he snatched the phone from Sitwell with such force that he almost knocked him over.

The phone screen was playing a live broadcast from the Daily Bugle, shot from high above, with exceptionally clear and stable footage, clearly from professional-grade equipment.

In the footage, five black SUVs bearing the S.H.I.E.L.D. eagle emblem are speeding through traffic on the streets of Washington, D.C., heading towards S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters.

In the small window at the bottom right of the screen, John Jameson, the editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle, whom Alexander Pierce hated to the core, was facing the camera, speaking loudly and righteously into the microphone in his highly recognizable, inflammatory, husky voice:
"...I believe all viewers watching the [Daily Horn] live broadcast have just seen it clearly through the footage taken by our frontline reporters high in the air..."

Just recently, a shocking bombing and indiscriminate shooting occurred on the streets of Washington, D.C., resulting in the deaths and injuries of numerous innocent civilians.

"However, what is baffling is that S.H.I.E.L.D., as an agency that should be protecting the safety of the public, turned a blind eye to the mysterious thugs who committed the tragedy, and instead dispatched elite agents to arrest Captain America Steve Rogers on the street when he tried to stop the violence and protect civilians."

John Jameson's face showed a look of disdain as he loudly questioned, "Is this approach by S.H.I.E.L.D. reasonable? Is it fair?"

This inevitably leads one to wonder what unknown secrets are hidden behind it all!

"I believe that viewers watching the Daily Bugle live right now are just as eager as I am to know why S.H.I.E.L.D. would arrest a WWII hero so beloved by the nation? What unforgivable crime did Captain Rogers commit that warrants such treatment?"

"And who are those armed men who commit violence in the streets and treat human life like dirt? Is there some unknown connection between them and S.H.I.E.L.D.?!"

"We, the Daily Bugle, representing all the skeptical citizens, strongly demand that S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Security Council immediately provide a clear, reasonable, and verifiable explanation for this matter!!"

Snap——!!!
A sharp, piercing sound!

Enraged, Alexander Pierce didn't even finish watching the live stream before smashing Hitwell's phone to the floor, shattering it into pieces.

"Damn the Daily Bugle, damn John Jameson, he'll go to hell..."

Alexander Pierce abruptly stood up from his chair, his chest heaving violently and veins bulging on his forehead. He ripped open the top button of his shirt as if that were the only way he could catch his breath.

He paced back and forth behind his desk like a caged beast that had been thoroughly enraged, the ferocity in his eyes almost tangible.

"Bastard! You son of a bitch! Just you wait, just you wait..."

He waved his fists and roared at the air in front of him, his voice distorted with rage, "Once Project Insight is launched, once the Sky Helicopter takes off, my first target will be your Daily Horn building."

"I want to watch with my own eyes as you and your bunch of fly-like reporters are all reduced to ashes under the barrage of artillery fire!!"

His roar echoed throughout the office, filled with hysterical murderous intent.

Hitwell was already trembling with fear, his eyes darting nervously towards the heavy soundproof door of the office, afraid that someone passing by might overhear his extreme remarks.

Just as Alexander Pierce was angrily thinking about how to deal with Captain America, his phone rang again.

However, this time it wasn't Brock Rumlow, but the current Secretary of State, Ross.

The name was like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing Alexander Pierce's out-of-control rage.

He had to take several deep breaths to suppress his churning blood and qi, straighten his torn shirt collar, and try to calm his contorted facial muscles.

When he picked up the phone again, his voice had returned to normal, even carrying a perfectly timed hint of 'surprise,' a stark contrast to his previous murderous demeanor.

“Dear Secretary of State Ross!” Alexander Pierce’s tone was warm and friendly. “I never expected to have the honor of receiving your call. May I ask what brings you here?”

Although Alexander Pierce is ostensibly the chairman of the UN Security Council, holding a high position and representing the security interests of the international community, even Nick Fury has to show him respect in his daily life.

However, it is well known that the United Nations is, to some extent, like America's backyard, as evidenced by the fact that its headquarters and the other five principal organs, except for the International Court of Justice, are all located in New York!
Therefore, even as the chairman of the Security Council, he still has little prestige compared to the Secretary of State, who truly holds the reins of American diplomacy and some military power.

Ross's distinctively hoarse voice, characteristic of a chain smoker, came from the other end of the phone. Without any pleasantries, he cut straight to the point, his speech measured and deliberate, each word carrying the authority of a superior: "Chairman Pierce, this call is on behalf of President Ellis to formally inform you..."

Upon hearing the word 'notification,' Alexander Pierce's eye twitched slightly, his heart sinking; he clearly already had a rough idea of ​​what was going on. Ross continued, "The fact that S.H.I.E.L.D. openly arrested Mr. Captain America Steve Rogers on the streets of Washington, D.C. today has already caused great controversy and had a very negative impact on the public."

"Currently, a large number of people have spontaneously gathered in front of the White House, holding signs and peacefully protesting, demanding the release of Captain Rogers and an explanation from the government..."

Upon hearing this, Alexander Pierce's fingers tightened subtly around the phone, his knuckles turning white, but his voice remained composed, "Mr. Secretary of State, this matter actually involves internal s.H.I.E.L.D."

"Chairman Pierce!"

Before he could finish speaking, Ross interrupted him bluntly, his voice becoming stern, "Listen carefully, I'm not discussing this with you, I'm conveying President Ellis's decision."

"Therefore, to prevent further escalation and ensure that Captain America receives a completely fair trial, thus avoiding larger-scale protests, President Ellis has decided that a public trial will be held in the Supreme Court in 24 hours regarding the various charges against Steve Rogers… and the entire hearing will be broadcast live online to the world."

"What?! A public trial? And it's being streamed online?!"

Alexander Pierce could no longer maintain his composure. He could hardly believe his ears and almost couldn't help but swear into the phone.

The president of the United States is so publicly involved in the internal affairs of S.H.I.E.L.D.?

No, isn't this going a bit too far?

"Secretary Ross, isn't this a bit inappropriate..."

Alexander Pierce hurriedly tried to salvage the situation, his voice laced with suppressed anxiety; he could even feel the muscles in his face twitching uncontrollably. "The trial of Captain America involves S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top secrets, as well as sensitive information on numerous global security matters. The trial process is absolutely not suitable for public viewing… This could jeopardize several of our ongoing counterterrorism and security operations. I implore you to convey to the President that I hope he will reconsider…"

"Chairman Pierce."

Ross's voice on the other end of the phone turned completely cold, filled with a condescending and undisguised warning, "I think you haven't grasped the situation... This isn't a request, it's an order! An order from President Matthew Ellis of the United States!"

His voice was like an ultimatum: "And the President has made it clear to you that if anything happens to Steve Rogers before he is safely escorted to the Supreme Court tomorrow... whether it's suicide, a sudden illness, or any form of accidental death... then your tenure as Chairman of the Security Council is over."

"I believe there are many people within the General Assembly who would be willing to take over your current position."

Having said that, Ross hung up the phone without giving Alexander Pierce any room for explanation or negotiation, and the line immediately went dead.

Alexander Pierce stood frozen in place, staring blankly at his phone screen as it gradually went black. His face was as pale and bluish as solidified volcanic rock, and his muscles trembled violently with extreme anger, humiliation, and disbelief.

He remained in that pose for a good ten seconds, as if he had become a statue full of hostility.

Snap——!!!
With another ear-piercing cracking sound, Alexander Pierce, clearly having lost his composure, slammed his phone heavily to the ground once more.

That expensive encrypted phone followed in the footsteps of the Hitwell phone, crashing hard to the floor and shattering instantly, with fragments and parts flying everywhere.

"Fu*k you!!! Ross, you damn bastard!!"

Alexander Pierce, like a raging beast, his eyes bloodshot, roared with murderous intent, "Who do you think you are? How dare you speak to me like that? How dare you threaten me? I am the leader of Hydra! The future ruler of this world..."

"Once my 'Insight Project' begins, once the 'Sky Carrier' takes flight, the first thing I'll do is clean up the 'White House,' and you bunch of self-righteous, foolish politicians. I'm going to send you all to hell!!"

He kicked and stomped on the chair next to him, sweeping documents and decorations off the desk to vent his raging anger.

Hitwell, standing to the side, was already trembling with fear, cold sweat pouring down his forehead, wishing he could disappear into the ground.

He glanced furtively at the seemingly crazed Alexander Pierce, fearing that the man's rage might be directed at him.

However, to Hitwell's surprise, Alexander Pierce's hysterical outburst did not last long.

After all, he was the leader of Hydra, who had been operating for many years and had been biding his time. He was a political figure who could sit in the high position of the Security Council. Having been in such a high position for so many years, he still had the composure and calmness to maintain his composure.

Therefore, after extreme anger comes more rational calculation.

He forced himself to calm down, stopped the pointless destruction, stood in front of the messy desk, placed his hands on the edge, and frowned as he fell into deep thought.

The involvement of Ross and President Ellis has clearly disrupted his original plans.

That means he not only can't "deal with" Captain America during transport, but he also has to ensure that the other guy shows up at the Supreme Court tomorrow, alive and kicking.

But there is no doubt that he will absolutely not let Captain America speak during the trial!
Because if the other party reveals any inside information related to Project Insight during the public trial at the Supreme Court, this ultimate plan, which has consumed countless efforts and resources of Hydra and embodies Alexander Pierce's ambitions, will be immediately halted, thus failing at the last hurdle!
The Supreme Court will absolutely not allow such a large-scale purge plan to exist. The pressure from around the world, broadcast live online, will instantly overwhelm S.H.I.E.L.D. and the UN Security Council.

There are less than two weeks left until the final launch of the [Insight Project].

Alexander Pierce said he would not allow anyone or anything to ruin his grand plan, which he had meticulously crafted over decades, at this crucial moment.

Therefore, he has no choice but to take this risk...

Soon, a bold plan gradually took shape in his mind.

(End of this chapter)