Chapitre 8: Chapter 8: Friends or Foes
Alex sat on the edge of his bed in the dingy motel room he had found on the outskirts of the city, far from the prying eyes of anyone who might be looking for him. The motel wasn't much—faded wallpaper, a leaky faucet, and a lingering smell of cigarettes—but it was a safe place to lay low for the night.
He hadn't slept much since the encounter at the diner. Every time he closed his eyes, he could feel the assassin's cold gaze on him, the tension of knowing he'd been hunted. Even though he had managed to throw the guy off his trail, it felt like only a matter of time before Hydra—or worse—found him again.
His thoughts drifted back to the system panel, the 30 points that sat there like a ticking clock. He was getting closer to his first spin on the Silver Wheel, but those last five points felt like they were a world away. How long could he keep playing this dangerous game without more power?
The illusion ability had saved him, but its effect was temporary as it was a low-level ability granted by the system's almighty grace bestowed upon him, he thought.
Alex rubbed his tired eyes, sighing heavily. He needed more information, more leverage in this world. He couldn't keep wandering through the Marvel Universe blindly, hoping to avoid the many threats lurking around every corner. If Ward and Hydra were already on his trail, he needed to figure out what their next move was. But how?
Who can I even trust in this world?
The Avengers? SHIELD? The thought seemed laughable. He was an outsider here, a guy from a completely different reality. Sure, he had knowledge of the Marvel Universe that no one else did, but that didn't mean they'd welcome him with open arms. And the last thing he wanted was to be dragged into their world before he had enough power to stand on his own two feet.
As he mulled over his options, a knock at the door shattered the quiet of the room. Alex jumped, his heart pounding in his chest. For a split second, he froze, panic taking over as his mind raced with possibilities. Who could it be? The assassin? Another Hydra agent? Had he been found already?
He took a slow, steadying breath, trying to calm the rising fear. There was no way they could have tracked him this quickly—he had been careful, hadn't he? Still, the paranoia gnawed at him.
Another knock, this one louder.
"Who's there?" Alex called out, trying to keep his voice steady as he edged closer to the door.
Silence.
His mind went into overdrive, every instinct telling him to prepare for the worst. His hand hovered over the doorknob, but he hesitated. What if it was a trap? What if opening that door meant walking straight into Hydra's clutches?
Just as he was about to step back, a voice spoke from the other side.
"Relax, it's just me."
The voice was familiar—calm, low, with a hint of amusement. It took Alex a second to place it, but when he did, his heart skipped a beat.
"Coulson?" he muttered under his breath, bewildered.
He hadn't expected SHIELD to come looking for him this soon, let alone someone like Phil Coulson. Alex wasn't sure if that made him feel better or worse. SHIELD was known for their secrets and manipulation, but Coulson had always been portrayed as one of the good ones.
Still, this wasn't a movie or a comic book. This was real life, and trusting someone like Coulson could be a double-edged sword. But it wasn't like he had a lot of options. If SHIELD knew he was here, they probably knew more than they were letting on.
Alex steeled himself and cracked the door open just enough to see Coulson standing there, his ever-present calm smile in place. The man looked exactly as Alex remembered from the shows—smart suit, short-cropped hair, and eyes that missed nothing.
"May I come in?" Coulson asked, his tone polite but firm.
Alex hesitated for a moment, then nodded, opening the door wider and stepping aside.
Coulson walked in with an easy confidence, as if he'd done this a hundred times before. He didn't look around the room much, just glanced briefly at the surroundings before turning his attention back to Alex.
"I know what you're thinking," Coulson started, his hands tucked into his pockets. "And no, we're not here to arrest you or take you in."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "That's reassuring. What are you here for then?"
Coulson gave a small smile. "To help. And to ask a few questions, if you're willing."
Alex crossed his arms, keeping his distance. "Help? From SHIELD? I find that hard to believe."
"Fair enough," Coulson said with a nod, unfazed by Alex's suspicion but quite surprised that Alex knew about SHIELD although he'll uncover that later thus throwing such thoughs away and focusing on important matters currently. "But you're in over your head, and I think you know that. You've made some waves in the past few days, and not the good kind. Hydra's not the kind of organization you want to be on the radar of."
"I didn't exactly ask for that," Alex muttered, more to himself than to Coulson. "They found me, not the other way around."
"True," Coulson agreed. "But you've also made some moves that raised some eyebrows. SHIELD has been watching Hydra closely, and you showed up right in the middle of one of their operations. Not exactly a coincidence, is it?"
Alex's stomach twisted. He knew he hadn't been as careful as he thought. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that Coulson was only telling part of the story. SHIELD always had an agenda.
"So what's your angle?" Alex asked, narrowing his eyes. "Why are you really here?"
Coulson's smile faded slightly, replaced by a more serious expression. "We want to know who you are and why Hydra's interested in you. We've been tracking them for months, and suddenly, you show up. Hydra doesn't just go after random people."
Alex shifted uncomfortably. He wasn't sure how much to reveal. He had to tread carefully here. Telling Coulson everything could backfire, but withholding too much might raise even more suspicion.
"I'm just a guy trying to survive," Alex said cautiously. "Hydra's after something, but I'm not part of their game."
Coulson studied him for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly, but he didn't push. Instead, he pulled a small device from his pocket, tapping a few buttons. A holographic display flickered to life, showing an image of a familiar symbol—the same one Alex had seen on the crates Ward had been loading.
"You recognize this?" Coulson asked, his tone more serious now.
Alex's stomach dropped. Of course, he recognized it. The ancient-looking symbols, the way they seemed to hum with power—it had been nagging at him ever since the warehouse. But why was SHIELD showing it to him now?
"It's from the crates Hydra was moving," Alex said, trying to keep his voice steady. "What is it?"
Coulson exchanged a brief glance with someone outside the door, then turned back to Alex. "We're still piecing that together. But whatever it is, Hydra's putting a lot of resources into it. And now, they're putting resources into you."
Alex frowned. This wasn't what he had expected. He had figured Hydra was after tech, weapons, maybe even something mystical. But this symbol… it felt bigger than that.
"What do you want from me?" Alex asked, his voice low.
Coulson paused for a moment, as if weighing his words carefully. "We want to know what you know. You've already crossed paths with Hydra, and they're not going to stop coming after you. But if you work with us, we can protect you. Help you."
Alex's mind raced. This was the kind of moment he had been dreading—being pulled into SHIELD's world, being forced to choose sides. But what choice did he have? He couldn't take on Hydra alone, and SHIELD, for all their secrets, was still better than the alternative.
After a long pause, Alex finally nodded. "Alright. I'll work with you. But I'm not your pawn. If this gets messy, I'm out."
Coulson smiled, extending his hand. "Deal."
Alex shook it, knowing full well that this was only the beginning. The Marvel Universe was bigger and more dangerous than he had ever imagined, and now, he was in the middle of it.
And there was no turning back.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone