Multiverse: Deathstroke

Chapter 286: Ch.285 Appearing

Chapter 286: Ch.285 Appearing

"The fragments are all gathered, just in the southern suburbs," Monarch said again, displaying the black globe image. The people inside the crypt stared at the enlarged sphere of light, lost in thought.

Nick Fury and Peggy Carter stood apart from the group, only catching bits and pieces about fragments and Namor without understanding the full plan.

Deathstroke had clearly excluded the SSR personnel from the strategy. Without Steve, they felt like they lacked purpose.

Peggy and Nick felt a bit awkward, silently resolving to work harder—to make SSR a powerful organization that could be effective even without super-soldiers.

Su Ming rose from the ground, taking a deep breath and looking at each person's face. "Time to move."

The previous plan had some slight adjustments; they could use the Arc de Triomphe for their needs, but the other four would stay hidden nearby for support.

Once Su Ming dealt with Zemo, they needed to create a quick exit route, allowing the group to escape together.

But just then, a guerrilla member ran up urgently, delivering new intel: Red Skull and Zemo had appeared in Place de la Concorde. They had captured some rebels from tonight's uprising and were holding them hostage.

They were broadcasting across the city with loudspeakers, demanding Captain America show himself. If he didn't appear within half an hour, they threatened to execute ten hostages per minute.

"Heh, I hadn't even set my trap for them yet, and they've laid one for me?"

If that's the case, then he'd be direct in his response.

Red Skull couldn't be killed—he still had a purpose—but Zemo, that troublesome obstacle, had to be eliminated first.

This situation was obviously a trap, but Su Ming wasn't really Captain America. When the time came, he could turn the shield into a weapon, and their surprise would be palpable.

That was the plan, then.

The group moved out, traveling through the sewers toward Place de la Concorde.

At that moment, in the square, German soldiers had built several large bonfires, using doors, windows, and furniture from nearby buildings as fuel.

The entire square glowed with firelight, the red hue adding a golden edge to the night sky. Red Skull and Zemo stood quietly on a platform nearby.

Zemo kept pulling out his pocket watch, checking the time, while Red Skull maintained a distance, his hands clasped behind his back, saying nothing.

Had Zemo been more observant, he might have noticed that Red Skull's gaze was a bit vacant, and that under his black coat, his stomach seemed somewhat swollen, as if he'd had too much dinner.

"Why isn't he here yet..."

Zemo didn't notice anything unusual; his mind was entirely focused on Steve.

Red Skull showed no expression, merely letting out a series of indifferent grunts from his nose.

"The time is almost up."

"Mm."

"We can definitely handle him together. As long as you distract him for a moment, I'll use the adhesive to pin him to the ground," Zemo said, patting his gun holster with confidence.

"Mm," Red Skull replied calmly.

"Then I'll coat him with hundreds of kilograms of duck feathers and order the troops to open fire, turning him and these rebels into ashes, so no one will ever dare oppose Hydra again."

"Mm," Red Skull remained as stoic as ever, standing straight.

Zemo found this exchange dull; Red Skull seemed entirely disinterested in him. Perhaps it was because of the outcome of their previous meeting, which hadn't gone well for Red Skull.

So Zemo closed his mouth, turning to look at the captives behind him. These were rebels caught during the evening's unrest, taking advantage of the chaos to resist German occupation.

He scanned their faces, some old, some young, men and women alike, each with different expressions.

Some stood tall, defiant, spitting at Zemo when he looked their way, cursing until Hydra soldiers struck them down with rifle butts.

Others looked terrified and panicked, either sobbing loudly or sitting on the ground in shock.

But regardless of their demeanor, all of them were doomed.

Zemo raised his hand, eyes on his watch. When the time came, he would immediately order the execution of the first batch of hostages.

The flames from the bonfires crackled and danced, casting shadows across the square filled with hundreds of elite Hydra soldiers, their breaths disciplined and watchful.

In the eyes of all present, Zemo's raised arm was like the scythe of the Grim Reaper, ready to strike.

But just as the cries reached their peak, and Zemo prepared to lower his arm, a red, white, and blue shield flew through the darkness, slicing toward his neck.

Zemo wasn't fast enough to react, but Red Skull grabbed him, pulling him aside. The shield struck the makeshift execution platform, sending splinters flying before rebounding with an eerie precision.

"Captain America! Open fire, everyone!"

Zemo scrambled to his feet. Red Skull's pull had been forceful, and there was no intention to help him up. As the shield ricocheted away, Red Skull resumed his posture, silently watching Captain America's direction.

Zemo cursed inwardly. Red Skull truly was Hydra's greatest actor, maintaining his aloof, arrogant air no matter the situation—it was infuriating.

But at least the plan was working. Using Red Skull and the French hostages as bait, he had lured out Captain America.

Although today's Captain America looked a bit greasy under the firelight... It must have been the sewer water.

Dusting off his clothes, Zemo watched as his soldiers surrounded Captain America, a fierce heat rising in his chest.

Soon, he could have his revenge.

Su Ming had actually arrived a few minutes earlier. He left the other four at the sewers nearby to act as backup, while he climbed up to a nearby three-story building. Using Stranglehold's camouflage abilities, his completely black form crept up to the edge of the square.

He calculated the number and positions of the troops below, formulating his plan.

Then he saw Zemo standing there with one arm raised like a student answering a question in class.

The pose was too perfect, so Su Ming immediately threw the Godslayer, transformed into a shield. If the surprise attack succeeded, Zemo would be a freshly made headless corpse.

But Red Skull, a true super-soldier, reacted quickly, saving Zemo from the sneak attack.

"Tsk, what a shame."

Su Ming chuckled as Stranglehold recalled the shield back into his hand. Now, with only about 40 meters between them, this distance and the enemy's numbers might have been a challenge for Steve.

But they were no match for Deathstroke wearing Captain America's skin.

He leapt from the building, landing amidst the Hydra troops, and began his massacre.

The shield, transformed from the Godslayer, was not intended to block energy weapons. So after smashing a few heads, he grabbed a nearby energy rifle glowing with blue flames, holding off the crowd of hundreds in a firefight.

He moved swiftly, dodging while squeezing the trigger, evading most shots, with only a few grazing him.

But in Zemo's eyes, this was already beyond belief.