章節 31: Gift
Coulson and Clint climbed back into their SUV and returned to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. Upon arrival, they headed straight to Fury's office to report what had happened.
"So you're saying the witnesses were correct and he had the armor that couldn't be damaged by bullets?" Fury asked.
"Yes," Coulson confirmed with a nod.
"So, where is the armor now?" Fury pressed.
"He didn't want to join yet, and he refused to hand over the armor, so there wasn't much we could do," Coulson explained.
"Yet?" Fury raised an eyebrow.
"Yes. He mentioned he didn't want to join a large organization but said he might reconsider in the future," Coulson replied.
Fury nodded. "And his whereabouts? Do we know where he's been for the past few months, or where he is now?"
"I managed to get a tracker on him, but he figured it out and left it behind. Our agents weren't quick enough to catch up," Clint admitted.
Fury considered this. "How would you assess his character?"
"He's determined, quick-witted, and seems to have a strong moral compass. According to his actions and statements, he believes in taking the law into his own hands to protect civilians from harm, and based on what we saw, he seems to have good intentions," Coulson reported.
"Alright, that's enough for now. Coulson, I have a new mission for you. Clint, stay here; I need a further report," Fury said.
Coulson nodded, a small smile on his face, and left, heading toward his locker.
Once Coulson was out of the room, Fury turned back to Clint. "If you came across him again, would you be able to kill him if necessary?"
Clint's response was immediate. "There'd be only one way to find out."
Fury nodded. "Unknown bulletproof armor, huh… did you see any apparent weaknesses?"
"No, the armor looked fully encased. A few bullets hit his helmet visor, but there wasn't a scratch. The entire suit seems to have the same strength a—"
Suddenly, a loud "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" echoed from downstairs.
"Report, Coulson! Report!" Fury asked in his earpiece, but he got no response.
Maria Hill instinctively drew her gun, signaling to a few agents to follow. Fury was right behind them.
When they reached the lower floor, they found Coulson kneeling, tearing up. "Boss… I found the 'gift' he mentioned…" he choked out.
--
Moments Before
---
"Boss seemed to take the news well," Coulson muttered to himself as he walked downstairs. 'This day couldn't get any better… I finally got the last card for my limited-edition Captain America collection,' he thought, grinning.
"All that's left is to enter the code and put these beauties all together," he said to himself, filled with excitement as he approached his locker.
Putting in the code, he heard the locker unlock. But as the door swung open, Coulson's face froze. Sitting on top of a small box were two pieces of paper.
"I didn't put these here… what's this?" Coulson muttered, picking up the top note. It read:
P.S. I'm sorry there wasn't enough room in your locker for these notes, so I had to take out some of your belongings.
Coulson's heart skipped a beat. 'Wait… no, it can't be!' He snatched the second piece of paper and stared at the small box inside the locker. "NOOOOO!" He fell to his knees, crushed, he had been collecting these cards since he was a child and now they were gone.
With shaking hands, Coulson flipped the first note over and saw the words on the back:
I might return it… if I feel like it. Consider this karma for using my grandpa against me.
The moment he read those words, he understood who was behind this and why. Just then, he heard Fury's voice as his boss came in, followed by Maria Hill and a couple of agents.
"Boss… I found the 'gift' he mentioned," Coulson, tearing up and sniffling.
Fury's brows twitched as he looked at his 'best' officer, who was tearing up. ''Coulson report clearly.''
"Liam left a note about a 'gift' for me. I figured he was bluffing since I didn't find anything in the park. But when I opened my locker just now, I found two pieces of paper that I definitely didn't put there," Coulson said. ''And.... my prized collection of Captain America cards is... gone.''
Fury raised an eyebrow. "You didn't leave them? So he managed to infiltrate this highly secured facility?" Fury held out his hand. "Give me the notes."
While receiving the notes from Coulson, Fury ordered Maria to check the security cameras in the hallways for any information.
After receiving the notes, Fury started reading:
Burn this paper after reading it.
Hello, as I said before to Coulson, I don't want to join S.H.I.E.L.D. just yet. I want to negotiate another time about when I join. For now, I want you or Coulson to bring my grandpa to safety (This has to be completely off any records), since I don't want enemies to use him against me. And no, Fury, I am not a threat to the world; like you, I am trying to protect it. The reason why I don't want to join right now is rather complicated, but I can only ask you one question: Is your S.H.I.E.L.D. really S.H.I.E.L.D.?
P.S. Also, don't try to invite me again for anything less than being an Avenger.
After reading the paper, Fury took out a lighter and burned it. Once the paper had been reduced to ashes, he looked at the crushed Coulson and said, "I have a different mission for you, Coulson."
"Yes, sir," Coulson replied, slowly standing up. Fury heard a voice behind him.
"What's this commotion about, Nick?"
Turning around, he responded, "It was nothing."
"That scream sure didn't sound like nothing," Alexander Pierce said.
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