章節 59: Chapter 58: Acquisition of the Osborn Group Through S.H.I.E.L.D Director
The teacher standing in front of the class, who Ethan Hayes knew as "Juliet," was not herself, nor was she Mystique Raven. Her strange life signature intrigued Ethan.
Could she be a Skrull? Or perhaps a Debari? Ethan wondered.
The Debari, tree-like aliens resembling Groot, appeared in X-Men: Dark Phoenix with shapeshifting abilities. However, Ethan knew that, in the comics, the Debari were just tree-people, without the ability to shapeshift. In the movie timeline, the Dark Phoenix had already wiped them out.
Now, only a few alien refugees remained on Earth, including a group of Skrulls. These Skrulls had been spared by Nick Fury, who saved them and left them to live secretly among humans.
What Ethan also knew from watching Secret Invasion before crossing into this world was that Fury's involvement with the Skrulls was a hidden secret, one that nearly ignited World War III.
S.H.I.E.L.D., led by Fury, had been secretly collecting the DNA of heroes and integrating their powers into a super-serum. By combining these abilities with the shapeshifting power of the Skrulls, Fury aimed to create the most powerful genetic weapon possible.
Ethan found it hard to appreciate the Skrulls' existence, especially knowing their history. The Skrulls had the ability to shapeshift, not just into other beings but also to absorb their memories, giving them a dangerous edge.
"Are they focusing on me now?" Ethan murmured, wondering when the cold storm brewing between him and Fury would finally come to a head. If the Skrulls were impersonating his teacher, Juliet, and if something happened to her, there would be consequences.
As the school day went on, Ethan debated whether to go straight home. However, he was stopped by "Juliet" before he could leave.
"Ethan, could you come to my office for a moment?"
Gwen Stacy, who was standing nearby, looked at "Juliet" with suspicion.
Ethan leaned over and whispered to Gwen, "Take my car and wait for me at home tonight."
Gwen blushed slightly as she took the keys, aware of the attention from nearby classmates and "Juliet." Without another word, she left the school.
"Juliet" smiled warmly. "Ethan, have you thought about where you want to go for university? If you need a recommendation letter, I'd be happy to help."
Her tone was soft, like a caring teacher, but Ethan knew better. The real Juliet, though polite, was far from being this overly warm.
Ethan stared at "Juliet," his eyes narrowing. "Is Ms. Juliet safe?"
"Juliet" blinked in confusion. "Ethan, what are you talking about? I am Juliet."
Ethan smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Let's not play games. Is the real Juliet safe?"
The temperature in the room began to drop as Ethan's icy powers seeped into the air. Frost slowly crept along the walls.
The Skrull, posing as Juliet, broke into a sweat. "What do you mean, Ethan? I don't understand…"
Ethan didn't break eye contact. "You know exactly what I mean. Drop the act."
The Skrull's facade wavered, and its body began to morph, revealing its true green and grotesque form. In reality, this Skrull was a male, now looking uncomfortable under Ethan's icy gaze.
"Where is the real Juliet?" Ethan asked, his voice colder than the air around them.
The Skrull trembled, sensing that its life was in danger. "She's safe, I swear."
Before Ethan could push further, the Skrull's phone rang. It hesitated before answering. "Nick, I've been compromised."
On the other end, Nick Fury sighed. "How did he figure it out?"
"The abilities of our people can't hide anything from Ethan Hayes," the Skrull said, panic evident in its voice.
Fury cursed under his breath. His carefully hidden ace had been exposed. "Hand him the phone."
The Skrull shakily handed the phone to Ethan.
"Hello, Mr. Hayes. I believe this is our first conversation," Fury's voice came over the line, calm but wary.
"It is," Ethan responded, his tone cold.
"Mr. Hayes, I believe there's been a misunderstanding. I didn't mean for Talos to offend you. He was just following my orders to get close and offer you some help in your future endeavors."
"Help from a bunch of shape-shifting aliens? How comforting," Ethan said mockingly. "You've aligned yourself with Skrulls, Fury. How does it feel knowing you're keeping company with creatures that can steal memories and impersonate anyone?"
Fury's heart skipped a beat. Only a select few knew about the Skrulls' alliance with him. Not even his closest agents, like Maria Hill, were aware of this secret. Yet Ethan had easily uncovered it.
Talos, still sweating, could feel the growing hostility in the air.
Fury attempted to sound calm. "Talos is a good man. He helped me fend off alien invasions in the past. I assure you, he means no harm."
"Good man or not, he overstepped," Ethan replied. "And I'm not in the mood to tolerate threats to my safety. If you want to keep your Skrulls safe, you'll have to pay for it."
Fury's voice hardened. "What do you want?"
"I want the full list of Osborn Group shareholders, and I want every detail of their criminal activities. That's the price for letting your Skrull live."
The room fell silent as Fury weighed his options.
"I'll get you the list," Fury finally said, defeated.
Ethan hung up the phone, turning back to Talos. "You're not going to die today, but I've marked you. I can find you anytime, anywhere. Consider this your warning."
A drop of water materialized in the air and shot toward Talos, embedding itself in his skin like a magical rune.
"You will deliver my message to Fury. And if you Skrulls ever get involved in Earth's matters again, I won't hesitate to erase your entire species from existence."
With that, Ethan walked out of the office, leaving Talos drenched in sweat, his body trembling.
Later, back home, Ethan smelled the aroma coming from the kitchen. Gwen had cooked dinner for him—lemon sea bass, a dish that was Tracy's specialty.
Meanwhile, at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters in Washington, Nick Fury stared at an old phone for a long time, contemplating his next move. The phone belonged to an old friend who had promised to return from anywhere in the universe if needed.
Fury knew that bringing this friend back might solve the problem of the "Ice Demon," as Ethan was known. But he also knew that now was not the time. There was still room for negotiation, and Ethan had given him a chance.
For now, Fury needed to fulfill Ethan's request and hope that it would be enough to keep Talos safe.
As Talos called Fury to update him on the situation, Fury's mind raced. He couldn't afford to lose Talos—he was a key figure in Fury's Skrull alliance. But at the same time, he understood the danger in trying to negotiate with Ethan Hayes, the Ice Demon.
"The Osborn Group, huh?" Fury muttered. He thought of Dr. Connors and the strange happenings within the company. He would have to tread carefully, but if he played his cards right, he might find a way to use this situation to his advantage.
For now, the game continued.
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