Howister found Evenson’s answer believable.
If the cloning technology had already succeeded, the Umbrella Corporation wouldn’t need Hydra at all.
One Captain America had been enough to tear Hydra apart during the war. Even with the Howling Commandos supporting him and the advantage of surprise, what Steve Rogers accomplished had been extraordinary. A conventional army would have needed an elite company, perhaps more, to achieve the same results.
If super soldiers could truly be manufactured like rifles on an assembly line...
The world would already belong to Umbrella.
Unless every nuclear power decided on mutual annihilation, no one could stop an army that replenished itself overnight.
So Why was Umbrella here?
Howister finally asked the question that mattered.
"Then tell me, Mr. Wesker."
"What is the price?"
Nothing of this value came for free.
The green serum on the table was beyond priceless. Any nation, intelligence agency, or military on Earth would kill to obtain it. Without resorting to nuclear weapons, this kind of enhancement could determine the outcome of wars.
Evenson almost answered instinctively.
A few million dollars would be nice...
He discreetly pinched himself through his coat before the thought escaped his mouth.
No.
That would ruin the image he’d spent hours constructing.
He lifted a crystal snifter of expensive brandy with practiced elegance.
"Mr. Howister."
"You should understand that Hydra isn’t the only organization with ambitions."
"Umbrella has dreams of its own."
He took a slow sip.
"But as long as SHIELD remains the dominant force operating in the shadows..."
"...our ambitions are nothing more than fantasies."
Understanding flashed across Howister’s face.
"So."
"You strengthen Hydra."
"You encourage us to move."
"SHIELD focuses its attention on us..."
"...while Umbrella develops safely in the background."
"Precisely."
Evenson didn’t bother denying it.
That had always been the plan.
Howister’s expression darkened.
"So we’re merely your shield."
His pride rebelled at the idea.
Hydra had once come frighteningly close to world domination.
Now another hidden organization wanted to use them as disposable bait.
It was humiliating.
Evenson met his gaze calmly.
"Can you abandon the Obelisk?"
Silence.
Howister already knew the answer.
No.
Never.
He had pursued that artifact for over half a century.
Recovering it had become the defining purpose of his life.
No price was too high.
Besides...
If the operation remained covert enough...
Perhaps Hydra’s existence would remain hidden.
A moment later, another thought occurred to him.
"Why us?"
He narrowed his eyes.
"If your serum is truly this valuable, countless governments would welcome you with open arms."
"Middle Eastern terrorist organizations."
"Hostile regimes."
"Military dictatorships."
"They could create far more chaos than Hydra."
"They could offer you limitless resources."
"So why choose us?"
Evenson slowly swirled the amber liquor in his glass.
Not because he appreciated the aroma.
Truthfully, he couldn’t distinguish a ten-thousand-dollar bottle from cheap liquor bought at a gas station.
He simply needed time to think.
He had prepared an explanation for helping Hydra.
He had not expected Howister to keep digging after receiving it.
The old man hadn’t survived a century through luck.
Every answer only produced another question.
Talking to people like this really does kill brain cells by the billion...
He finally lowered the glass.
His expression remained perfectly composed.
"I require something."
"Something currently in Hydra’s possession."
That was the only solution he could devise.
If Umbrella demanded money, the image collapsed.
Any nation could outbid Hydra.
If Umbrella demanded one of Hydra’s greatest treasures, the negotiations would end immediately.
The payment needed to be valuable enough to justify the serum...
Yet obtainable enough that Howister could realistically agree.
"What is it?"
Howister asked carefully.
He was just as nervous now.
If the requested item belonged to his own division, negotiations would be straightforward.
If it belonged to another Hydra branch...
Things would become far more complicated.
Evenson finally gave his answer.
"I want an operation report."
"Dated December 16th, 1991."
He watched Howister’s expression carefully.
"It’s held by your Siberian division."
"I want everything."
"The written files."
"The audiovisual recordings."
"All of it."
An operation report?
From Siberia?
Howister frowned.
The date sounded familiar, though he couldn’t immediately place it.
Still...
If Umbrella was willing to trade twenty doses of an enhancement serum for a single mission report...
Then whatever was in those files had to be extraordinarily important.
"What if..."
"...I refuse?"
The Siberian branch consisted largely of Hydra leaders who came after his generation.
With enough pressure, he could probably obtain copies.
But they were still Hydra secrets.
Very likely important ones.
He wanted to know whether Umbrella truly considered this non-negotiable.
"Then our business ends here."
Evenson’s reply came instantly.
No hesitation.
No compromise.
Partly because he’d noticed Howister had phrased the question as a hypothetical.
It smelled like a test.
And partly because...
If Hydra refused, he had other options.
There were plenty of unstable regions eager for any advantage.
For example...
Habus happened to be wandering around Afghanistan these days.
Howister rested one hand atop the twenty green vials.
"Then my answer is still no."
Around the room, the remaining bodyguards silently slipped their hands inside their jackets.
The atmosphere froze.
Evenson chuckled softly.
He rose from his chair.
Then he removed his sunglasses.
Beneath them...
His eyes glowed a deep, unnatural crimson.
Without looking behind him, he casually pointed one finger at the stainless-steel chair he’d just vacated.
A flash of scarlet light.
The metal chair liquefied instantly.
It collapsed into a puddle of molten steel that hissed and spat against the polished floor.
The room fell silent.
Evenson’s smile never wavered.
"Mr. Howister..."
His crimson eyes locked onto the Hydra leader.
"Would you also like to test the performance..."
"...of the Veronica enhancement?"
...
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