I Became a Knockoff Arms Dealer in the Marvel World

It was all his fault for not taking those two suspicious individuals seriously enough. Hawkeye regretted not deploying stronger tracking forces. If only he'd sent aerial support, like helicopters or drones, it wouldn't have been so easy for them to shake off his people.

Unfortunately, it was too late for regrets now.

Hawkeye wasn't the only one drowning in remorse. Sharon Carter, driving a Ford pickup, found herself stuck in the congested traffic of New York's 42nd Avenue.

She could do nothing but crawl forward inch by inch with the sluggish flow of cars, frustration gnawing at her.

All because of one tiny oversight, she thought bitterly. And now they've given me the slip!

As a seasoned S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Sharon Carter found it hard to forgive herself for making such a rookie mistake. Was she losing her edge?

Maybe I've been too consumed by the Umbrella investigation lately, she mused, the idea of overwork and sleepless nights haunting her. Is that why I let my guard down at such a critical moment?

Regret, anger, helplessness, and despair surged through her in waves.

"Well, fine. What now?" Sharon muttered to herself, taking a deep breath to calm down. "Should I go back to surveillance? Or head back to S.H.I.E.L.D. and take a day off to pull myself together?"

Even as she weighed her options, something clicked. She glanced at the road ahead and suddenly realized—this route also led to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters.

It couldn't just be a coincidence.

A spark of realization lit up her eyes. A bold but unbelievable hypothesis began to take shape in her mind. Still, she didn't dare jump to conclusions just yet.

Determined to verify her theory, Sharon quickly pulled over at a temporary parking spot.

It cost her a whopping $2,000 to buy a gaudy, heavily modified motorcycle from a street racer. It was an outrageous price, but she didn't have time to haggle.

Heart pounding with nervous energy, Sharon sped through the gridlocked streets of New York on her new ride, weaving between cars as she raced toward S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters.

When she was close to her destination, she parked the motorcycle at a discreet spot on the roadside. It was too conspicuous to take any further.

Sharon adjusted her light-gray down jacket, pulling the collar up high and flipping up the hood to obscure most of her face. It wasn't much of a disguise, but time was short.

As she walked the final stretch along Oakland Street, her gray knee-high boots crunched softly against the thin layer of snow on the pavement. Her sharp eyes scanned her surroundings with every step.

Just as she passed a small café called Budapest, her gaze locked onto a familiar Land Rover parked out front. Her pupils contracted instantly.

Without hesitation, Sharon quickened her pace, pretending to be an ordinary pedestrian as she slipped into the café.

The café wasn't crowded today. Two couples sat in separate corners, chatting and laughing softly.

At Table 26 sat a man with a vaguely familiar face. He'd ordered a coffee but hadn't touched it, letting it sit there cooling.

Sharon's sharp instincts as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent immediately saw through his clumsy disguise. Yet she couldn't shake the feeling that his facial structure looked oddly familiar.

Could he be a fellow agent? she wondered.

Her eyes flicked to the Land Rover at the entrance. It hadn't left. It was as if someone inside was waiting for something—or someone.

Sharon made a quick decision. She strode confidently to Table 26, pulled out a chair, and sat down across from the man.

"Hi there! Have we met before? I'm Sharon Carter, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Your disguise is terrible—don't tell me you're one of the new recruits?"

Her tone was frank, her words blunt. She saw no point in pretense. To her, this man was most likely a fellow S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Perhaps one sent by Hawkeye himself. If there was a chance a fight might break out soon, she didn't want any misunderstandings to lead to friendly fire.

The man in the baseball cap stiffened at her introduction. Under the table, his clenched fist slowly relaxed.

He reached up and tilted his cap back slightly, revealing a face so famous it didn't need an introduction.

It was Captain America—Steve Rogers.

Steve had learned about Sharon from Peggy Carter, who had vouched for her as someone completely trustworthy. Knowing this, he felt safe revealing himself.

Sharon's eyes widened as recognition dawned. "Captain America? I—uh, sorry about that. I didn't realize it was you. Are you staking someone out too? That Land Rover at the door—is it part of your mission?"

Steve stayed silent for a moment, deliberating. Eventually, he decided it wouldn't hurt to share some of the details.

As much as he wanted to shoulder everything alone, recent events had proven he needed help. Sharon, being Peggy's niece and someone he trusted by association, was the perfect ally.

Quietly, Steve began explaining his suspicions that Hydra had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D.

Sharon listened, stunned into silence. For a moment, her mind went completely blank.

Her earlier hypothesis had been just that—a wild guess. The idea that Umbrella agents were working with Hydra seemed far-fetched, almost absurd.

But now, hearing it confirmed by Steve Rogers himself? The sheer magnitude of it left her reeling.

After a moment of stunned silence, Sharon forced herself to focus. She suppressed the chaos in her mind and shared her own findings.

"That Land Rover? There are two of Carl's men inside. I've been suspecting for a while that Carl might actually be..."

Steve's expression darkened as he processed her words. His brow furrowed so tightly it seemed permanently creased.

Umbrella is tied to Hydra too?

The implications hit him like a freight train. Not only was he up against Hydra within S.H.I.E.L.D., but now he also had to contend with Umbrella?

God help him. He'd barely woken up after seventy years in ice, and now he was plunged straight into this mess.

Seventy years ago, I was fighting Hydra, he thought bitterly. And now, seventy years later, it's still Hydra.

"Damn," Steve muttered, unable to find the words to sum up the storm of emotions inside him.

Sharon, on the other hand, was far more optimistic. Her confidence was unshaken, despite the gravity of the situation.

She had seen the mighty Scarlet Witch take down enemies with ease. And yet, she still believed that with Captain America on her side—and her own skills—they could overcome any challenge.

Sensing Steve's heavy mood, Sharon leaned forward, her voice firm and encouraging.

"Captain, I know things seem bleak right now. But you've faced impossible battles before, haven't you?"

***

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