Anton's plan, put simply, was to destroy Klaus Technology while stealing the fruits of their labor.
This was nothing unusual.
Whether in business or on the battlefield, the rule had always been the same—the winner takes all.
The reason Anton was so interested in Klaus Technology's research, particularly the Wasp Suit, was because it was based on a crucial element: Pym Particles.
The significance of Pym Particles needed no explanation.
In the final battle of Avengers: Endgame, if it weren't for Scott Lang and the Pym Particles enabling time travel, the Avengers wouldn't have stood a chance. Thanos would have crushed them all, one by one.
In other words, Pym Particles are the key to time travel.
If Anton could unlock their secrets through the Wasp Suit, he could gain access to time travel ahead of schedule—exploring the truth behind Marvel's Sacred Timeline or even venturing into alternate realities.
Of course, he already had another way to travel through time.
His system still had an unclaimed reward: The Flash from the DC Universe.
At Flash's speed, time and space could be bent at will. Even in the Marvel Universe, Anton was confident the Speed Force could break the barriers of time travel.
But now that he had the chance to study Pym Particles, he wasn't about to let it slip away.
After a moment of thought, Anton made his decision.
Because of his connection with Wayne Enterprises, he wouldn't get directly involved in taking down Klaus Technology.
Instead, he needed a blade—someone more suited to do the job. Someone who, even knowing they were being used, would still play along.
So, Anton took out his phone and dialed a number he hadn't contacted in a long time.
Europe – S.H.I.E.L.D.'s New Headquarters
Director Phil Coulson received an unexpected call.
"Anton? It's been a long time," Coulson said, genuinely surprised. A dozen thoughts flashed through his mind, but he couldn't quite guess the reason for the call. After exchanging pleasantries, he spoke honestly: "I didn't expect you to reach out."
"Well," Anton replied casually, "while I don't particularly enjoy dealing with Nick Fury, I don't hold any grudges against S.H.I.E.L.D. either."
Coulson raised an eyebrow. "So what's this about?"
"I'm calling about a certain someone."
"Who?" Coulson asked, his tone immediately more serious.
He knew that anything Anton brought up wouldn't be trivial. His expression darkened slightly as he braced himself for the answer.
"Mitchell Carson."
Coulson's eyes narrowed.
"As far as I know," Anton continued, "he's Hydra."
The name Mitchell Carson wasn't unfamiliar to Coulson.
A former high-ranking official in S.H.I.E.L.D., Carson had retired years ago, his position given to the next generation of agents.
Coulson had once assumed that Carson was a noble man who had simply stepped aside for the future of the agency.
But now, hearing Anton's words, a chill ran down his spine.
Coulson's emotions were mixed.
On one hand, he was sickened by how deeply Hydra had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D.—even among its most trusted ranks.
On the other, he felt a growing unease about what Carson had been up to since his retirement.
It was a chilling thought.
If Mitchell Carson had stayed in S.H.I.E.L.D., he would have risen to an even higher position—perhaps even as high as the Director himself.
Yet despite such a bright, promising future… Carson had chosen to retire.
And that, Coulson realized, was the most suspicious part of all.
Countless thoughts flashed through Coulson's mind. Anton's simple words shook him to the core, leaving him unable to calm down.
"It seems you're no stranger to him," Anton remarked.
"If I'm not mistaken, he was originally an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.," he added.
"Yes," Coulson confirmed. "He was Alexander Pierce's deputy director. He retired years ago… I haven't heard his name in a long time."
Despite Anton's careful phrasing—saying that Mitchell Carson might be Hydra—Coulson didn't doubt it for a second.
Anton was simply being modest.
The truth was clear: Anton wouldn't have called unless he had already confirmed Carson's allegiance.
This wasn't a warning—it was a deeper investigation.
"Since he was originally one of yours, this makes things easier," Anton continued. "You're the best person to handle this situation."
Coulson had been expecting a different request, but Anton's next words completely overturned his assumptions.
"Mitchell Carson is planning something," Anton said. "And you need to be the one to stop it."
Coulson's expression hardened. "Go on."
"Carson is working closely with Krauss Technology. He's planning to acquire their latest research on behalf of Hydra. The project is called Hornet—essentially an Ant-Man suit."
Anton's tone was meaningful. "Ant-Man. I don't need to explain, do I?"
Coulson felt a sudden chill.
He had no words.
For a moment, he felt like Anton was leading him by the nose.
But after regaining his composure, he fully grasped the gravity of the situation.
Ant-Man. Hank Pym.
Of course, Coulson was familiar with both.
As a former top agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., Coulson had heard countless stories about Hank Pym's exploits. Even though Pym had left S.H.I.E.L.D. long before Coulson's time, his name carried weight.
Now, Krauss Technology was trying to mass-produce a version of Pym's suit—and Hydra was involved.
Coulson's face darkened instantly.
"And that's not all," Anton continued. "Krauss Technology is also negotiating with the U.S. military. If they secure a deal, they'll embed themselves into military operations—turning them into a serious player."
Anton's voice turned sharp. "S.H.I.E.L.D. needs to handle this."
Coulson exhaled slowly, his mind racing. "What do you need me to do?"
He finally understood why Anton had called.
He had caught the key details in Anton's words:
Krauss Technology.
Even though S.H.I.E.L.D. had been focusing most of its efforts in Europe, that didn't mean they had lost track of what was happening in America.
Recently, Krauss Technology had been gaining traction. Their sudden entry into the arms market had drawn attention from multiple powerful groups.
Especially after they dared to compete with Wayne Enterprises.
A company that was bold enough to challenge Batman's empire was bound to become a prime target.
Now, every faction was watching Wayne Enterprises closely, waiting to see how Bruce Wayne would respond.
And Coulson had just realized—S.H.I.E.L.D. might have to make a move first.
Sure enough, Coulson saw it.
A quick investigation revealed the history of Krauss Technology's collaborators.
Mitchell Carson—the former deputy director of S.H.I.E.L.D., now deeply tied to Krauss Technology—was currently an international investor managing a foundation worth tens of billions. He was also a member of Hydra…
Once again, Hydra's plans sent shockwaves.
Coulson didn't doubt Anton's words for a second.
With Batman, or even the Justice League, their style was clear—they didn't frame people.
They dealt with their rivals openly.
Just like before—in Washington, during the battle that triggered the first Avengers conflict against Hydra—they had confronted their enemies head-on.
"You handle contacting the World Security Council about Mitchell Carson. The Justice League and I will cooperate with you," Anton said briefly, then hung up.
He knew Coulson was a smart man. He would understand exactly what Anton meant.
More than that—he was actually glad to help Anton.
Exposing Mitchell Carson's identity would help S.H.I.E.L.D. regain the World Security Council's trust.
At the very least, it would prove that S.H.I.E.L.D. hadn't been sitting idly by in the fight against Hydra.
Soon.
The World Security Council received the information and immediately called for a S.H.I.E.L.D. meeting.
At the meeting, Coulson confirmed that Mitchell Carson was Hydra. However, he carefully avoided mentioning Anton as the source.
The U.S. representative took the information seriously and alerted the military.
During their own discussion, someone brought up the competitive rivalry between Krauss Technology and Wayne Enterprises.
At the same time, John Koehler firmly stated that the Justice League would never fabricate false accusations—a sentiment many agreed with.
Darren Krauss—CEO of Krauss Technology—received the news.
His expression shifted slightly. A weight settled in his chest.
Without hesitation, he retrieved an encrypted satellite phone and dialed Mitchell Carson.
"The situation has changed," Darren said.
Carson remained unshaken. "I know."
"Your identity has been exposed. Our partnership is over," Darren said bluntly. "From this point on, you're on your own."
Carson sneered. "Don't forget—I had a hand in your research. How do you think you managed to push Hank Pym out? Should I remind you?"
Silence.
For a long moment, Darren Krauss said nothing.
Finally, he exhaled and spoke. "I can arrange a flight for you to South Africa. That's all I can do."
Carson's tone darkened. "The military is coming for me. They'll be at my house in ten minutes."
His voice turned sharp. "You will delay them. Or I'll send every piece of your illegal activity straight to the military. I doubt you want the 'Future Lab's' research on the Hornet suit to be shut down, do you?"
Silence.
Darren took a deep breath. His eyes flashed with a cold, murderous glint—but in the end, he had no choice.
The Hornet suit project was at a critical stage.
Money wasn't the issue.
At Krauss Technology's current level, funding wasn't what limited progress. If they needed money, they could easily find investors—in fact, they were lining up from New York to Los Angeles.
The real problem was Mitchell Carson himself.
His threat wasn't financial—it was his Hydra connections.
Darren's mind raced through possibilities before he finally spoke. "I can send a team of international mercenaries to your neighborhood to stall the military. But this is the last time I'm helping you."
"No problem."
Carson hung up immediately.
But there was something neither of them addressed.
Carson had just said the military would arrive in ten minutes.
And yet, Darren claimed his mercenaries could reach Carson before the military.
That meant one thing:
The mercenaries were already in place.
They were waiting.
Before the military even arrived—Darren had made sure his forces were ready.
"Humph."
After hanging up the phone, Mitchell Carson's face was expressionless—completely different from the panic and anger he had just displayed.
Instead, his eyes were filled with extreme calmness—as if he were a machine, calculating purely on logic.
Darren Krauss switched phone numbers and sent a simple text message:
"Get rid of him."
Neither of them realized that their entire conversation was being monitored.
Everything they said—every word—had been recorded.
Anton, who had essentially become a god of the internet, listened in real time to their conversation, casually recording it as well.
"Two typical villains..."
He chuckled twice, already knowing exactly what would happen next.
Darren Krauss had clearly decided to eliminate Carson.
And Mitchell Carson?
He had already anticipated Darren's move and likely had his own countermeasures.
But Anton didn't care.
No matter their status or influence, to him, they were just small-time players—not even worth his personal effort.
At this point, all Anton had to do was hand over the recorded conversation to the military or the World Security Council, and Krauss Technology would be finished.
As for Mitchell Carson…
No matter what he planned, there was no escaping this time.
Because this time, the military's Secretary of Defense, John Koehler, had personally enlisted the help of the Justice League.
To ensure a swift and decisive operation, Anton had dispatched a clone of Arrow—a figure who hadn't shown his face in a long time.
This was a perfect opportunity to elevate Arrow's reputation.
A short-haired woman with a sharp, capable demeanor stepped into the Future Lab and accessed the Hornet suit database using her personal clearance.
Anton, monitoring everything, raised an eyebrow and smirked.
"Oh?"
His gaze locked onto the woman on his screen.
Hope van Dyne.
The second-generation Wasp.
Anton chuckled. "I almost overlooked her… Looks like things just got more interesting."
…
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