章 38: Ch. 38: Nick Fury
The Tricurve Wing of the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters in Washington was a hive of activity, a nerve center of intelligence and strategy. At the heart of it all, the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury, stood by the window, his silhouette framed by the city's skyline. His signature black leather trench coat hung heavily on his broad shoulders, a symbol of his authority and unyielding resolve. His hands were clasped behind his back, a posture of contemplation.
Behind him, Phil Coulson, a trusted ally and seasoned agent, stood at attention. He had just returned from New York, the city still reeling from the aftermath of their latest mission. His report was the subject of their current discussion.
"So, the captain's body remains in New York, and the ice's removal will take time, correct?" Fury's voice was a low rumble, his words carefully chosen.
Coulson nodded, his expression serious. "Affirmative, sir. I've left agents on-site to monitor the situation."
Fury was silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the cityscape. Then, he turned his attention back to Coulson. "Your report mentioned another individual. Tell me about him."
A hint of a smile played on Coulson's lips. "Ah, the boy I mentioned earlier."
Fury cut to the chase, his one good eye boring into Coulson. "What are the odds he possesses superhuman abilities?"
Coulson didn't hesitate. "I'd say at least 80%."
Fury's frown deepened, and he swiveled to face Coulson fully. He knew Coulson well; the man was a paragon of composure. If Coulson claimed 50% certainty, it was as good as 80%. But 80%? That meant Coulson was almost entirely convinced this individual, this Jon, was superhuman.
"Explain," Fury commanded, his voice a low growl.
Coulson nodded, launching into his reasoning. "Remember the gold smuggling terrorist attack? I wasn't on that case, but one survivor caught my attention."
Fury scoffed, "Plenty of folks survived that mess. Maybe he's just a lucky mother****!"
Coulson shook his head, "That was my initial thought. But then I found his blood samples at the scene. Not just a few drops, but a significant amount."
Fury sighed, running a hand over his bald head. He knew the painstaking effort it took to isolate a single individual's blood from a scene of mass casualties. It seemed Coulson was more invested in the Avengers initiative than he'd initially thought.
"And what did you find?" Fury asked, his curiosity piqued.
Coulson shook his head, "Nothing. Fitz and Simmons ran every test they could think of. As far as they could tell, he's just a normal human."
Fury was silent for a moment, processing the information. Coulson continued, "I thought it might be easier to get a blood sample from the hospital, so I went there next."
Fury raised an eyebrow, "And?"
Coulson's smile widened, "Jon Vinson, the survivor, didn't have a single injury. Not even a scratch."
The room fell silent as Fury absorbed the implications. A survivor of a terrorist attack, unscathed and with no detectable superhuman abilities. Yet Coulson was convinced. Fury knew better than to dismiss his old friend's instincts. The game was changing, and they needed to adapt. The Avengers initiative was more critical than ever.
Fury's frown deepened, the gears in his mind turning. "So, you're saying it's odd that he survived unscathed while everyone else in the vehicle perished. Yet, his blood was found at the scene."
Coulson nodded, "Exactly, sir."
Fury countered, "But you also mentioned that Fitz and Simmons found nothing unusual in his blood. If he had superpowers due to some genetic mutation, they would have detected it."
Coulson tilted his head, "Perhaps we need to shift our perspective. Maybe the disaster triggered some latent ability. And with all due respect, sir, even with our current resources, we can't replicate Iron Man's suit or Captain America's serum. And let's not forget Captain Marvel. We still don't fully understand her powers. Isn't their extraordinary existence exactly what our Avengers initiative needs?"
Fury fell silent, mulling over Coulson's words. Coulson seized the opportunity to press on, "There's another recent incident that further supports my theory."
Fury raised an eyebrow, "What incident?"
"Last night, he prevented a shooting," Coulson explained, "The intended victim was his friend. Jon was the first to spot the gunman and he intervened immediately."
Fury scoffed, "So, he's physically fit and has good instincts. What does that prove?"
Coulson replied, "Remember Captai America, sir? before accepting the serum, he was just an ordinary citizen, struggling in life. And do you recall the difference in Captain America before and after the serum?"
Fury remained silent, allowing Coulson to continue, "After the incident, the gunman was found to have mental issues and is now in a mental institution. We discovered the attacker had a heavy history of all king crimes."
Coulson paused before adding, "And there was a flaming rider caught on public cameras. We traced the rider's path to a forest outside NYC, where we found the ashes of several men. DNA tests revealed they were all criminals with a history of serious offenses."
Fury asked, "You think this is connected to Jon's abilities?"
Coulson shrugged, "I can't be certain, but it's a possibility."
Fury turned back to the window, his mind racing. Coulson knew better than to interrupt his thoughts. Fury didn't need to worry about Jon's abilities spiraling out of control. From Coulson's report, Jon had a family and lived with his cousins, none of whom seemed aware of his powers. He could blend into a crowd, and as long as he didn't use his abilities for anything extraordinary, there was no need for immediate intervention.
The question was, what were Jon's powers? Coulson's files indicated Jon was a law-abiding citizen, making him a potential candidate for the Avengers initiative. But without knowing his abilities, they couldn't make a decision. If he had self-healing and some psychic abilities, he would need training as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.
But Jon had a family, and it seemed he wasn't willing to abandon his current life. Convincing him wouldn't be easy. After a long silence, Fury made his decision. "I'll consider your proposal, Agent Coulson. But there's one thing..."
He turned to face Coulson, "I want you to continue monitoring him. Don't interfere, just observe. Try to understand his abilities and report back to me."
Coulson nodded, "Understood, Sir."
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