章節 20: Chapter 20: Interaction
After quietly watching Noah for a few seconds, Fury turned to Wanda.
"Let's start with you, Wanda. What brings you here? You even brought Pietro along. Why didn't you take him to get that wound treated first?"
Fury's single eye narrowed slightly.
"Let's be honest, are you here because you think I'm planning to harm Pietro?"
Wanda's face remained expressionless as she stared at the one-eyed man before her.
"Heh," Fury chuckled bitterly, extinguishing his cigar. Reaching under the table, he pressed a hidden button. A pale blue hologram flickered to life above the table, displaying a world map.
The map was marked with countless red dots, slowly spreading outward from the already-blackened state of New York. Surrounding states were also beginning to darken.
"Honestly, if this were half a day ago, I might have considered it. And I'm sure Pietro would have understood my reasoning," Fury admitted, his tone carrying a hint of weariness.
"But now, as you can see, the virus has spiraled out of control. We can no longer resolve this crisis through early containment. Rest assured, I have no intention of doing anything to him."
He gestured toward Pietro's leg.
"Take him to the medical bay. Look at his leg—the blood's practically soaking through."
Wanda hesitated but remained seated. Her gaze shifted briefly to Noah, who sat relaxed, before returning to Fury with a determined expression. She owed Noah a significant debt. Fury had a habit of pressuring strangers into working for him, and she couldn't allow that to happen to Noah, no matter the circumstances.
Fury observed the trio before him—Wanda, Noah, and Wong—silent as if contemplating his next move. Finally, he sighed, the sound heavy with exhaustion. Lighting another cigar, he said:
"If I wanted to harm Mr. White here, I could have done so on the Quinjet. Soon, others will arrive for a meeting, and you can be assured of his safety."
Before Noah could respond, Wanda's head shot up, her expression laced with dissatisfaction and doubt.
"Who else is coming? And why wasn't I informed? I'm an Avenger, after all."
"Thor and Tony Stark," Fury replied. "Thor is en route on a Quinjet, and Stark is already aboard the Helicarrier. They'll both join this meeting here shortly. If you're concerned, you can wait for them."
Wanda glanced at Pietro, who winced in pain, his face twitching slightly. Her concern deepened as she turned her questioning gaze toward Noah.
Noah pondered for a moment. While Thor and Tony Stark were known for their antics and lack of filter, they were fundamentally good people. Their moral compass was leagues above the spymaster sitting before them. Moreover, Wanda couldn't keep using her powers to staunch Pietro's bleeding. Trying to insist she stay might backfire.
As for Wong, well, Noah thought wryly, he's an honest man. Bullying him would feel like kicking a defenseless dog.
Noah made his decision and spoke.
"Pietro's already been through enough. He needs medical attention immediately. Take him, Wanda."
Relieved, Wanda gave Noah a grateful look before quickly using her powers to help Pietro out of the room.
"Wong, you should go too. I'm sure your arm needs a doctor's attention as well," Noah added.
Wong bowed slightly to Noah before following Wanda and Pietro out.
The automatic door slid shut with a metallic clang, its sound echoing in the now-quiet room. As it closed, the atmosphere seemed to grow colder, the lighting dimmer. Noah turned his head to face Fury, tilting it slightly.
Fury's single eye scrutinized the young man before him. His appearance was unremarkable, and he displayed no obvious superpowers. How had he managed to survive and accomplish so much?
Both men waited, silently daring the other to speak first. It was a quiet battle of wills.
Finally, as Fury's cigar burned a bit shorter, one of them broke the silence.
"First," Fury began, "as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., I want to thank you for your heroic actions. You've slowed the virus's spread and bought us precious time to respond."
Though his words were polite, Fury's tone was devoid of enthusiasm, as if he were reading the ingredients on a shampoo bottle.
"That said, I'm curious. How did you come up with the idea to restrain Quicksilver so quickly to slow the virus's spread?"
Fury's gaze sharpened.
"And according to surveillance footage, you shot Pietro almost the exact moment the soldiers were infected. That timing is... suspiciously precise."
The spymaster's tone remained neutral, yet his words carried a subtle edge.
Noah sighed deeply, the sound heavy and filled with emotion. Fury, slightly startled, twitched, nearly dropping ash from his cigar.
Noah's eyes glistened as he began speaking softly.
"When I was a child, my parents took me to a theater to watch a spectacular performance. After the show, we decided to take a shortcut through an alleyway."
His voice trembled as he spoke, the memories clearly painful.
"Halfway through, a mugger appeared. My parents... they were shot in cold blood. I remember the sound of my mother's pearl necklace scattering on the pavement. The noise was so sharp against the night."
Noah's voice broke slightly, his head tilting back as though looking toward unseen figures above.
"At that moment, as my mother's warmth faded from my hands, I looked up and saw bats flying overhead. Something awoke within me. I gained the power of foresight."
Tears glimmered in his eyes as he fell silent, seemingly lost in the memory. Fury, moved by the tragic tale, nodded solemnly.
"I'm sorry for your loss," Fury said, his tone unusually soft. "If I may ask, what was your father's name?"
"Thomas Wayne," Noah replied after a brief pause.
Fury's eyebrow arched. "And your mother? Surely her surname was White?"
Noah shook his head. "Her name was Martha Wayne. Her maiden name was Kane."
Fury's cigar wavered slightly, ash falling onto the desk. "So your father's last name was Wayne, and your mother's maiden name was Kane, yet your last name is White?"
Noah sighed and waved a hand dismissively.
"Well, what could I do? They didn't take my last name, and I couldn't force them to change theirs."
Fury stared at him, the urge to use the ashtray for something other than its intended purpose rising steadily.
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