Chapter 64
After successfully completing their mission, the members of the Kamen Rider team made their way back to the safe house of Fury, their commanding officer. Jin and Horobi, two of the team's operatives, decided to split up to carry out reconnaissance in the criminal underworld. Ace would contact them when needed for any upcoming missions. Natasha was tasked with preparing a comprehensive mission report, while Ace took the initiative to meet with Fury to debrief and discuss their next course of action.
“Did you get the components?” Fury’s stern voice broke the silence as Ace entered the dimly lit, cluttered room filled with tactical maps and classified documents.
Ace passed the flash drive to Fury, a confident grin spreading across his face. “Right here.”
Fury inspected it closely, his expression softening with a nod of approval. “Good job. How about the other thing?”
Ace puffed out his chest with a sense of accomplishment, a glint of pride in his eyes. “Of course I have it. The drive also contains all of the data in the SHIELD base.” He crossed his arms and leaned back slightly. “What are you going to do with it?”
Fury’s face grew serious, his eyes narrowing with determination. “This should help me find more Hydra spies and their bases. Give me time, and I will root out all of those bastards.” A faint smirk played on his lips.
Ace couldn’t help but worry about Hydra's fate, a slight frown creasing his forehead. “Woah, scary… By the way, we ran into some nasty robots when we escaped.”
Fury’s brows knitted together in confusion, his voice edged with concern. “Robots? I did not hear any ongoing SHIELD projects for robots.”
Ace shrugged, his casual demeanor hiding the tension in his voice. “Well, they were nasty, I’ll tell you, but we managed to destroy them easily. However, I’m guessing there will be more appearing where those came from. Most likely, they belonged to Hydra. They must have an army of those somewhere.”
This wasn’t good news for Fury, his jaw tightening as he processed the information. “That’s concerning… thanks for the heads-up. I’ll try to see if we can find out where they are making them.”
Ace nodded, his expression serious now. “I’ll leave that to you. If you need any help, there is Ark and the Humagears if you need them. Contact me if you need some ‘heavy lifting.’”
“Will do, thank you, Rider.” Fury’s gratitude was genuine, a rare glimpse of vulnerability in the seasoned commander.
As Ace left the safe house, he made his way back to his lavish mansion, his mind racing with thoughts of their next move. Meanwhile, Fury delved into the data, determined to root out Hydra spies and uncover their hidden bases.
…
In the World Security Council, Alexander Pierce sat in his dimly lit office, the harsh glow of his desk lamp casting deep shadows on his furrowed brow. He read a report that had clearly soured his mood, his lips pressed into a thin line. One of their bases had been attacked, and the crucial final components for their three Helicarriers had been stolen. With the Helicarriers left incomplete, their carefully laid plans had been abruptly halted. Pierce's frustration was palpable as he pondered the implications of this setback.
“How could this happen…”
Pierce called one of his colleagues for help. The screen flickered to life, revealing Arnim Zola's robotic body, a camera for a head, and a giant screen on his chest. He was in the middle of an experiment, visibly annoyed by the interruption.
“What is it, Pierce? This better not be wasting my time!” Zola’s mechanical voice crackled with irritation.
“One of our bases was attacked.” Pierce’s voice was tense, barely masking his frustration.
“You’re calling me for this!” Zola snapped, his screen flickering.
“It was the base where the targeting algorithm for the Helicarrier was being developed. The data has been wiped clean, with the rest of the server in the base.” Pierce's voice grew more strained with each word.
Zola suddenly realized the gravity of the situation. “Hmm… that is a problem. I made that algorithm myself. I can make it again, but it is going to take time.” His tone shifted to one of grudging acknowledgment.
“The Dreadnoughts were also dispatched, but they were destroyed by the intruders.” Pierce's eyes darkened with anger.
Zola was taken aback by the news. “What!? How could my creations be destroyed so easily? Who were these intruders!?”
Pierce sent a video to Zola, who eagerly pressed play. As he watched, he saw footage of the intruders. The more he observed them, the more captivated he became. “These… intruders… are very similar to the Kamen Rider’s equipment. Metsubojinari.net? Impressive! It seems the Kamen Rider is not the only one who possesses this kind of technology. I must study them!”
“Calm down, Zola. From what I have gathered, this group just delayed our plans. They appeared a few months ago, destroying crime rings, and from the footage recorded from the base, they might know Hydra exists.”
“That is troublesome. Just a brief glance at their power shows they are equivalent to the Kamen Rider’s power, at least. Do we know if they are working with the Rider?” Zola’s voice was tinged with curiosity and concern.
“Maybe, but there is no evidence of them working together. This group has been shown to kill those who stood in their way, which doesn’t fit the Rider’s usual MO. The only similarities are their armor.” Pierce's voice was flat, analytical.
“I see. So what is the true reason you have called for me.” Zola's screen flickered with impatience.
As expected of Zola, he thought Pierce wanted something more instead of just telling him their base was attacked. “I want you to send out your creations.”
“Hmm… I suppose that could be arranged. Considering this Metsubojinari’s prowess, normal soldiers would do nothing. Very well, but I want their equipment, Pierce. I am close to completing a similar armor to the Kamen Rider. Having their equipment will expedite the process.” Zola's tone was calculating.
“Very well, Hail Hydra.”
“Hail Hydra.”
…
In the bustling city of New York, crime is an ever-present force that never sleeps. On this particular day, a daring group of robbers targeted a bank, swiftly moving to carry out their illicit scheme. With tense urgency, they hastily seized money from the bank, their faces masked but their eyes betraying their underlying restlessness.
“You got everything?” said one of the robbers, his voice shaky with adrenaline.
“Yeah, all of the money is in the bag.” Another robber, his hands trembling, zipped up the duffle bag.
“Hurry up! We gotta move before—” Before he could finish, a web shot hit his duffle bag full of money and yanked it out of his hands. He looked toward the person who took it and saw a familiar figure in red and blue, casually hanging upside down from a web.
“Hello, gentlemen. Looks like you guys have been caught red-handed! Or should I say web-handed? Either way, this heist is a bust.” Spider-Man’s voice was playful, a mischievous grin visible through his mask.
“Spider-Man!” The robbers' panic was palpable.
Two more duffle bags were yanked off from the criminals, and they saw another figure in black and white, standing confidently on a nearby wall.
“Nice one, Spidey! I guess these guys didn't bank on us showing up.” Spider-Woman's tone was equally teasing.
“Spider-Woman! Get them!” The robbers whipped out their guns and opened fire on the two spiders. But Spider-Man and Spider-Woman swiftly dodged the bullets, leaping and swinging through the air with their webs. The robbers' shots missed their mark as the dynamic duo deftly evaded every attempt.
"Come on, guys! You gotta aim better than that. We're practically dancing out here!" Spider-Man quipped, his movements fluid and effortless.
“Seriously, are you shooting at us or just practicing your aim for the circus? Because I've seen clowns with better shots!" Spider-Woman added, her laughter echoing through the street.
The robbers were getting pissed from their quips. “Do you two ever shut up!” They continued to shoot more, but the spiders were more nimble, their acrobatic skills leaving the robbers frustrated and off-balance.
Spider-Man was enjoying their reactions. "Whoops, did we hurt your concentration? Don't worry; we can keep up this friendly chatter all day. Makes dodging bullets much more entertaining!"
"Yeah, we wouldn't want you to get bored while you miss every shot. Maybe aim for the witty remarks next time; they're harder to dodge!" quipped Spider-Woman.
They disabled the robbers one by one and took them all down, their movements synchronized and efficient. They tied them to a nearby lamppost and left them hanging, a neat web bow at the top.
"Well, that was a swing and a miss for you guys. Better luck next time... maybe try a different career path?" said Spider-Man, his tone mockingly sympathetic.
"Yeah, like, I hear there's a shortage of bank robbers these days. Maybe take up knitting instead? Less chance of getting tangled up in our webs." said Spider-Woman, her tone equally sarcastic.
They swung away, hearing the robbers curse at them as the police arrived just in time. They resumed their patrol and swung around New York, the city's lights twinkling below them.
“That’s another robbery down. Geez, do you ever think they would just stop?” Peter grumbled, his voice tinged with exhaustion.
“I don’t think they will. This is New York, after all,” replied Gwen, her tone pragmatic.
“Haah… you got a point there.” Peter sighed, the weight of their responsibilities settling heavily on his shoulders.
Gwen was thinking about Ace and was worried about him. “Do you think Ace is okay?” she asked, her voice soft with concern.
“I’m sure he is, Gwen. Ace is far stronger than us, and I’m sure he would call us if we ever need help.” Peter’s voice was reassuring, though a hint of worry lingered in his eyes.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. He is not that type of guy.” Gwen’s voice held a note of uncertainty, her thoughts still preoccupied with Ace’s safety.
Peter couldn’t help but grin, seeing Gwen like this. After spending enough time, Peter had already figured out Gwen liked Ace. He decided to tease her for a bit. “You sure like him, huh, Gwen.” His tone was playful, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Yeah… wait! What did you just say!?” Gwen’s face turned a bright shade of red, her embarrassment quickly turning to anger.
Peter quickly swung away, trying to escape Gwen’s wrath, his laughter echoing through the city.
“Peter! Get back here!” Gwen shouted, her voice a mix of frustration and amusement.
“HAHAHAHA” Peter's laughter continued, the tension of the day melting away in the face of their playful banter.