A black sedan slowly drove into the suburbs north of Long Island, New York. The tree-lined road on either side filtered the afternoon sunlight, leaving only scattered golden patches on the ground...
Stepping out of the car, Sean looked up at the towering structure before him, a steel giant standing between heaven and earth.
He should have been at S.H.I.E.L.D., personally receiving the envoy from Asgard. After all, this was the first official contact between Earth and an extraterrestrial civilization, an event of monumental significance that warranted global attention.
But the young man had instead advised General Ross to leave Thor waiting for now. He understood the Asgardian prince's intentions, but this was not the right moment.
Negotiations and alliances were about leverage and status. If he wanted Asgard to sincerely lower its haughty pride, Earth needed to demonstrate its own strength first. Showing off one's power was an indispensable step.
Entering the main building, Sean spotted a familiar face. An elegant and intellectual woman in a loose white lab coat, walking hurriedly with her head down, as if rushing somewhere.
"Dr. Foster, is there a monster chasing you?" The friendly voice snapped Jane out of her preoccupied state.
When she saw Sean, her expression turned complicated, with a hint of evasion, as if deliberately avoiding his deep gaze.
The astronomer didn't know how to face the man who had changed her life. She still remembered, during the journey back from New Mexico, how his youthful face had inexplicably overlapped with that mysterious low voice in her mind.
After returning to New York, Jane often dreamed of that moment... the surge of scorching energy, the voice in her ear, her hand instinctively gripping a lightning-wrapped hammer as thunder roared in the sky. She had felt like a Valkyrie reborn from Norse myth.
It had been an unprecedented experience, as if she had glimpsed a new world, one where a mere flick of her wrist could shatter supposedly indestructible Asgardian armor.
"Hey, am I that scary? You look like you've seen a ghost." Sean chuckled.
The usually composed Jane stood frozen, clutching a pile of files like a student waiting to be scolded by a teacher. The sight was almost comical.
"Uh... I've been a bit on edge lately. Maybe I haven't been sleeping well. I need to catch a flight to the UK soon." Jane forced an awkward smile, lowering her head to avoid his probing gaze.
Sean's smile remained, but inwardly, he was puzzled, 'Dr. Foster is a terrible liar. Her emotions are written all over her face. But what is she hiding? Could female intuition really be that sharp?'
Considering the possibility, Sean felt a flicker of surprise...
Jane was indeed one of the few people who had interacted with both him and the Sentinel. If she had suspicions, it wasn't entirely unreasonable.
"Darcy said you haven't been in the best shape lately. If work is too much, you can take a break. I'd hate for people to call me a heartless capitalist who exploits his employees," Sean teased, watching Jane's nervous demeanor, "I heard Thor asked you out. Being on the receiving end of the Asgardian prince's pursuit... truly a one-of-a-kind honor."
"I–I'm fine. Thor and I are nothing. We're just... friends." Jane stumbled over her words, her carefully made-up face betraying rare panic.
"Alright, let's drop that. I've seen the lab logs for the past month. You've practically turned the lab into a second home." Sean's tone turned serious.
Jane shook her head hurriedly, her lips trembling as if hesitating to speak. Her usual grace was gone, replaced by the same flustered demeanor Thor had displayed during their date.
Sean guided her into the elevator, heading to the lounge on the upper floors.
He spoke in a tone that brooked no argument, "Work can wait. Sit down and rest for a while. Don't think about anything. If you miss your flight, I'll send you to London on my private jet. So, coffee or tea?"
"Tea, please."
Sean expertly brewed a cup of fragrant Ceylon tea and handed it to Jane. Even under the loose lab coat, the elegant woman's graceful curves were unmistakable.
"Dr. Connors mentioned you applied for a research trip to London?" Sean asked, his gaze meaningful.
"Yes." Jane nodded softly, "There have been some unusual phenomena there. I'm interested."
"You seem uncomfortable being alone with me?" A faint smile played on Sean's lips as his gentle eyes studied the woman sitting across from him.
"Not at all. Maybe I'm just nervous." Jane forced another smile, feeling like prey caught in a trap while the young man closed in like a hunter.
Their interaction felt strangely charged.
"Why would you be nervous around me? Did you figure out my other identity, that besides being Sean Cyphers, the young billionaire and head of Umbrella, I'm also someone else?" Sean spoke lightly, eyes teasing, as if enjoying a game of cat and mouse.
Truthfully, at this point, he no longer bothered hiding the Sentinel's identity. S.H.I.E.L.D. was under his control, the superheroes were in disarray, and even if the world learned Sean Cyphers and the Sentinel were one and the same, it wouldn't matter.
If a playboy could don an iron suit and become a superhero, why couldn't he have a secret identity of his own?
Besides, the Sentinel wasn't a supervillain. If anything, he had saved Spider-Man, stopped the Hulk from destroying New York, and helped Asgard repel Thanos' invasion.
"What– No! I don't know anything!" Jane blurted out instinctively.
Her intuitive guess was a secret she would keep buried forever, never to be shared with anyone.
Sean rubbed his forehead, 'She really is a terrible liar. This adorable attempt at hiding the truth might as well be a neon sign saying, I know your secret...'
"It's not a big deal. Did the world really think Tony Stark could be the only rich, irresponsible superhero? Honestly, I know another guy who, after his parents were shot in his childhood, grew up to play a playboy by day and a masked vigilante by night. Compared to him, I'd say I'm pretty normal."
Jane kept stirring her tea, creating tiny whirlpools in the cup. Finally gathering her courage, she looked up at Sean. He was still smiling gently, his tone lighthearted as he reassured her.
"But in the movies, lone heroes are always afraid of people finding out their true identities." Jane pouted slightly, the weight in her chest suddenly lifting.
Sean was at a loss for words. He hadn't expected the usually reserved Dr. Foster to have such a girlish side.
"Honestly, I just didn't know how to face you before." Jane relaxed, a relieved smile appearing on her face.
"Friend, subordinate, or fan. Any of those work." Sean shrugged.
He always maintained a respectful and amiable attitude toward those he admired.
It was his way of doing things. Just as a certain great man once said, "Be warm as spring to comrades, and ruthless as winter to enemies."
"Any other options?" Now that the atmosphere had lightened, Jane no longer avoided Sean's gaze.
Instead, she became more animated, exuding the charm of a mature woman. It was the kind of allure that came with age, like fine tea.
"Alright, let's get you to London. I'm heading that way myself." Sean coughed, changing the subject.
The Dark Elves were about to awaken, and the Aether would soon reveal itself. The young man was eager to see what surprises the third Infinity Stone would bring.