NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Tracking Failed!
Carl stood by the window, gazing out at the snowy landscape. The falling snow had blanketed the entire estate, rendering the outside world a vast expanse of white.
"The preliminary plan is still in preparation. It's about time I gave S.H.I.E.L.D. something to keep them busy. Can't have them interfering when the plan kicks off," Carl thought to himself.
Once the thought struck him, he acted immediately. Pulling out a wrist-mounted holographic projector, he began issuing commands:
"Pull up the satellite map and track Sharon Carter and Captain Steve Rogers' real-time locations."
[As you wish, Boss.]
Carl had long instructed Red Queen to keep tabs on these two key pieces—Sharon Carter and Captain America—to ensure that events stayed within his control.
Within moments, a 3D holographic projection of a satellite map appeared, displaying a vibrant blue planet.
The view zoomed in, then zoomed in further.
Soon, the cityscape of New York became clear.
Two distinct red dots appeared on the map.
One was located on a street in Brooklyn.
The other? It was surprisingly close to Carl's estate.
Carl raised an eyebrow. The red dot in Brooklyn was likely Captain America; after all, he currently resided there.
As for the red dot near his estate, it could only be Sharon Carter. She had probably returned to report her suspicions to Fury, suspecting him of being affiliated with Hydra. Now, lacking concrete evidence, she had resorted to the clumsy tactic of staking out his estate.
Carl's analysis of the situation was remarkably accurate.
Still, Sharon Carter was not the main concern. Captain America was the real priority.
After all, Captain America's strength was extraordinary. As the world's first superhero, Steve Rogers was a powerhouse capable of becoming a major force in dismantling S.H.I.E.L.D. in the future.
Sharon Carter? She was nothing more than a minor pawn Carl had set in play.
For now, his attention was squarely on Captain America.
"Report Captain America's movements over the past two days."
On the 3D satellite map, a green trail of movement appeared, showing his recent activities.
The route started at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, passing through Brooklyn and the Holy Patterson Senior Care Center before ending back in Brooklyn.
"So, Captain's been keeping a low profile these past few days. His movements are very predictable. As for the senior care center... visiting Peggy Carter, perhaps?"
Having gained a general understanding of Steve's activities, Carl decided it was time to stir things up and draw his attention.
But just then, the red dot representing Captain America began moving on the map.
It seemed he was heading toward S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters.
"What's he up to? Catching up with Fury?"
Carl shook his head. "No, that doesn't seem likely."
About twenty minutes later, the red dot had made significant progress, moving at a notably fast speed.
Carl zoomed in on the satellite map again, revealing that Captain America was riding his beloved Harley-Davidson Street 750, zipping down 47th Avenue in New York.
As he neared S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Triskelion headquarters, Steve slowed down and eventually parked outside a café across the street—Budapest Café.
"Did he come all this way just to grab a coffee?"
After a moment's thought, Carl understood. Steve was likely staking out the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters.
"Evading S.H.I.E.L.D.'s agents just to set up surveillance outside their headquarters? With his level of intelligence, I suppose this is the best he could come up with," Carl muttered with a hint of disdain.
Seeing these two "chess pieces" resort to the same amateurish surveillance tactics left Carl bemused.
Still, their ineptitude worked in his favor. Subtly guiding them toward "discovering the truth" would have been much harder if they were smarter.
After brief consideration, Carl devised a plan. Within S.H.I.E.L.D., Hydra's key operatives boiled down to three figures:
Alexander Pierce, Nick Fury's former boss and the head of Hydra within S.H.I.E.L.D.
Brock Rumlow, leader of the Strike Team and Hydra's military muscle.
Jasper Sitwell, head of administrative operations and Hydra's personnel manager.
The rest of Hydra's members in S.H.I.E.L.D. were nothing more than expendable pawns.
Carl decided to have a word with two of these key figures. First, he would contact Jasper Sitwell. Through Sitwell, he could arrange a meeting with Alexander Pierce.
As the leader of the Sokovia branch of Hydra—albeit not yet officially recognized by the Hydra Council—Carl figured he should still have enough influence to secure a meeting with Pierce.
As for how to orchestrate this without arousing suspicion?
He had an idea.
---
4:30 PM
Two bodyguards in Umbrella Corporation security uniforms swaggered out of the estate.
Hawkeye, stationed nearby, immediately spotted these suspicious individuals. However, with no sign of Carl himself, he decided to remain at his post, continuing to monitor the estate while dispatching agents to follow the bodyguards.
The two bodyguards waited near the estate gates for less than a minute before a Range Rover SUV pulled up. The vehicle quickly picked them up and drove away.
From her vantage point in a clock tower on Brown Street, Sharon Carter noticed this development as well.
She had been staking out Brown Street for an entire day, observing the estate. Despite her persistence, Carl had not left the premises even once over the past two days. Sharon had been debating whether to switch tactics when this opportunity presented itself.
Her instincts told her that following these suspicious individuals would yield results.
Jumping into her modified Ford pickup, Sharon discreetly tailed the Range Rover from a distance.
Three vehicles were now involved in the pursuit: the Range Rover, Sharon's truck, and Hawkeye's operatives further behind.
The chase led out of Manhattan and onto 42nd Avenue.
Suddenly, the Range Rover accelerated, weaving through the rush-hour traffic with reckless abandon.
Caught off guard, Sharon struggled to keep up. Within moments, the Range Rover had disappeared from view.
"Dammit! I lost them!" she shouted, slamming her hand against the horn in frustration.
Meanwhile, back at the estate, Hawkeye received word of the failed pursuit.
"Lost the target," his subordinate reported.
Hawkeye's sharp instincts told him that those two bodyguards likely left on an important mission.
Unfortunately, retrieving their trail now would require mobilizing S.H.I.E.L.D.'s full resources—a task that could not be accomplished in the short term.
***
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