Chapter 58: Project Rebirth, Seeds of American Might
The presumed deaths of Logan and Samuel Miller had, for a brief moment, sent shockwaves through the System and Elias Thorne's psyche. The catastrophic collapse of Festung Niemals and the Red Skull's apparent demise had created a temporary void — a moment of silence in the flow of data. Hydra was not eradicated, but its head had been severed. The research nexus was radioactive ash, and its central operations were in disarray.
But the grief hadn't lasted.
Exactly forty-seven hours and nineteen minutes after the last registered biosign, the System pinged:[Signal Lock Reestablished: Operative - Wolverine][Operative - Miller, Samuel | Status: Wounded but Stable]
The encrypted channel opened with a static crackle, then a familiar, gravel-lined voice cut through.
"Miss me, bub?"Logan's voice was rough, tinged with pain but unmistakably alive.
Elias closed his eyes for half a second — not relief, not joy, but recalibration.
"You're late."
"Yeah, well, the whole damn fortress came down on top of us. Miller's leg's a mess, and I had to chew through rebar to get to the surface, but we made it. Hydra's done there. Skull's gone. What now?"
"Extraction is en route. Hold position until then. Avoid exposure. You're now deep black — presumed dead to all factions, including our own assets, until further notice."