Chapter 69: 69. A Deal
'.....'= Thoughts
"....."= Conversations
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Coulson moved quickly through the room, his calm manner hiding how efficiently he had handled the situation. The HYDRA agents he had killed were scattered around, taken out before they could cause any major damage. Now, he stood beside Fury, casually wiping the blood off his hands like it was just another day at work.
"There was a fifty-fifty chance Alexander would show up here," Fury said with a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "But I guess he was more careful than I expected."
"Sir," Coulson replied, his tone professional but with a slight note of concern. "Even though Pierce didn't come, there's a very high chance we can prove he's HYDRA's leader. We've gathered enough evidence, and with HYDRA's people in the World Security Council removed, he's running out of places to hide. He'll go underground, but it's only a matter of time before we catch him."
Fury sighed, his eye scanning the room. "Would've been better to finish it here," he muttered. "Now he's the one hiding, and we're left out in the open."
Harry, standing nearby, overheard their conversation. He crossed his arms, surprised at how quickly Fury had taken down so much of HYDRA's network. While he knew many HYDRA bases were still hidden, taking out most of their leaders was a huge blow. 'How did they move so fast?' Harry thought. There had to be more than just Fury's usual planning at play. Maybe an Inhuman with special abilities helped, or maybe it was just luck. Either way, Harry had to admit that Fury was thorough.
But Harry shook his head, deciding it wasn't his problem. His job was simple: get the Tesseract and leave. What Fury did with HYDRA after that didn't matter to him. He wasn't interested in SHIELD's bigger plans or their complicated operations. He was just here to complete his part of the deal.
Stepping forward, Harry looked directly at Fury and extended his hand. "The Tesseract," he said, his voice calm and firm.
Fury hesitated for a moment, his hand hovering over the briefcase that held the powerful object he had taken from Yo Yo Rodriguez. His expression hardened. "You know the deal, Harry," Fury reminded him, his voice low and authoritative. "You help us finish off the rest of HYDRA, including Pierce. In return, you get the Tesseract, all charges against you are dropped, and you get limited clearance to operate in public. But if the world faces a threat, you'll help."
Harry's eyes didn't waver. "I've done my part, Fury. Now it's your turn."
Fury studied Harry for a moment, then, with a resigned sigh, handed him the briefcase.
"Don't make me regret this," Fury warned, his voice sharp. "We'll be watching you. One wrong move and—"
Harry cut him off with a smirk as he took the case. "Yeah, yeah, I know. You're watching everything."
He turned to leave but paused just before exiting. "Stick to your end of the deal, Fury, and you won't have to worry about me."
With that, Harry and his team vanished, leaving Fury standing in the aftermath of the battle.
Coulson looked at Fury's tense face, recognizing the weight of the decision his boss had just made. Even though Fury's face was mostly unreadable, the small signs of frustration were there—the clenched jaw, the flicker of irritation in his eye. Fury hated making compromises, and it was clear that giving the Tesseract to Harry bothered him more than he wanted to admit.
"It was the right call, Director," Coulson said quietly.
"I know that," Fury muttered, but his expression showed how he really felt. His hands clenched into fists for a moment before he slowly relaxed them. "Doesn't mean I have to like it."
Coulson nodded, understanding. Fury always thought several steps ahead. But this time, the game had changed. He had been forced to give in, not just to HYDRA, but to someone like Harry—someone outside SHIELD, with his own goals.
"You didn't have a choice," Coulson added gently. "We've seen what Harry and his team can do. With HYDRA still out there, sometimes we have to think bigger. Pierce is still a threat, and Harry was our fastest way to deal with that."
Fury exhaled deeply, his mind drifting back to a conversation he'd had with Cain a few days earlier.
---
A few days ago…
Fury was pacing in his new underground office when Cain walked in. The young man looked unusually serious, his face pale.
"Came to give me another vision?" Fury asked, half-joking, but with an edge of anticipation.
Cain nodded. "Yeah, Director. But it's not good."
Fury raised an eyebrow, gesturing for him to continue. Cain took a deep breath before speaking.
"I saw a fight, sir. Between your team and Harry's group. You were going after him and Pierce, like you planned. But… it didn't go well." Cain's voice wavered. "Your team was wiped out. Harry's people—they're different. Their powers were too much. Even the Inhumans couldn't stop them. Your team didn't stand a chance, while Harry's group barely got hurt."
Fury stopped pacing and looked at Cain. The tension in the room was heavy.
"So, no matter what we do, we lose?" Fury's voice was tight with anger.
"It's more like… in that specific fight, under those conditions, we were outmatched," Cain explained. "Harry's team has abilities beyond anything we've faced."
Fury clenched his jaw. He had relied on Cain's visions to stay ahead, but now it seemed like his plans were falling apart.
"Then we change the conditions," Fury said, though he sounded unsure.
Cain nodded. "That's why I'm telling you. If you go after Harry now, it'll be a disaster."
Fury hated feeling out of control, but he wasn't foolish enough to ignore Cain's warning.
"Fine," he muttered.
---
Back in the present, Coulson watched as Fury's shoulders slumped slightly. He knew what this compromise had cost the director. But sometimes, tough choices had to be made.
"It'll work out, Director," Coulson said softly. "It always does."
Fury didn't answer right away, but his silence said everything.
Fury's thoughts drifted briefly. Should I contact her? He considered reaching out to a powerful ally who could shift the balance. But after a moment, he dismissed the idea. Harry, for now, hadn't crossed any lines. His group was dangerous, yes, but they hadn't done anything to directly threaten the world. Fury decided to wait and watch. He would keep his options open without making any rash moves.
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