"Ideally, Tiger Shark is to be taken alive. We need intelligence about HYDRA's current assets and movements, and he can provide that for us."

George didn't say it, but he wanted more than just intelligence. His current mandate was to turn the tide and bring the fight to them. As valuable as Tiger Shark would be as an intelligence source, he would be ten times more valuable if he could be turned into a double agent. But that depended on if he would cooperate, and if he could be brought in alive. Too many ifs to make the scenario feasible.

"If it seems as if there is no other alternative, Tiger Shark is to be eliminated. In that event, you are ordered to bring in any electronic devices recovered during your mission. We'll gather intelligence as best as possible from those devices. A plane is leaving Andrews Air Force Base in an hour, you're going to be on that flight. From there, you'll fy to a military base in Germany and fly straight to Jakarta after that."

George slid a manila dossier across the desk to Barnes. Stamped on the cover as the SHIELD logo, a red diagonal slash that indicated it was top secret, and the designation OPERATION FISH FRY.

"Some reading for you to do on your flight. It contains every detail about the mission. Burn it after reading, please."

Barnes thumbed through it, glancing at the pages while George took off his glasses. Without the lenses, his eyes seemed small and beady. He blinked a few times as he cleaned his glasses on the fat end of his tie. Satisfied they were clean, he placed them back on his face.

"One more thing, James. This is not contained in the folder because I cannot share it with anyone. I believe this attack happened because of a leak inside SHIELD. The way Tiger Shark got into our satellite feed indicates knowledge of out communications systems, if not access codes outright. While you are in Jakarta, I will be back here engaging on a hunt for the leaker. Our purposes may overlap or come at odds at times, but stay focused on your mission. Keep what I just said mind in the future, because after you walk out of that room I will not speak of it again, and I trust you will not either. I've told you this because it goes back to what I said earlier: Trust no one. Not even me."