[Three months, that much time has passed, the Avengers are barely seen, the international terrorist disguised as a superhero they call Laplace's Demon has retired, and the situation? The situation is perfect. The Defenders have been fighting crime, and the smaller matters are handled by government agencies like the police.
So I ask you, all of you watching us, do we really need the Avengers? Of course, I am not saying we do not need superheroes, the world is full of lunatics in tights, but is it really necessary that these so-called superheroes stand above the law the way the Avengers do? The answer, I believe you all know it in your hearts.
Meanwhile, the monster, because that is what he is, called Hulk keeps destroying cities and causing the loss of more innocent lives. Why do the Avengers not hand him over? Simple, because they do not want to, and since they are not subject to any law, if they do not want to then they do not have to.
I have to give credit to Laplace's Demon, he was a terrorist but at least not a coward, he never wore a mask and presented himself before the law when he broke it. Should the rest of the Avengers not follow his example instead of trying to create some kind of worldwide terrorist organization?
To keep up with the situation, tune in tomorrow to the Daily Bugle, because we will continue discussing matters about the Avengers. And what about that name? Why do they not save us from the beginning instead of avenging us, or is it that from the very start they never had any intention of saving us?]
"He's sure to find every single point to lynch us," Tony laughed in the Avengers Tower while watching television.
"It's not funny, Tony. The situation is getting out of control," Steve replied seriously.
"So, what do you propose?"
"I propose handing over Hulk."
Tony jumped up. "You're joking… tell me you didn't just say that."
"Listen first, Tony," Steve tried to calm him. "I'm not talking about handing him over forever. I just want to show that we are willing to talk, and that Banner is innocent."
"Did your brain freeze from all that time in the ice? They don't care about the truth, much less Ross, who has been after Hulk from the start. Do you know who kept that extremist in check for years? Me. If we hand him over, even for a second, it will be the same as abandoning him completely."
Steve kept trying to reason, but Tony did not budge for a moment.
The situation, already complicated, took an unexpected turn when a proposal reached the government. The plan was simple: build a device capable of nullifying powers and place it where Hulk could appear.
The idea was absurd. From any point of view, it was impossible to build something like that. If the government had that technology, it would not act so passively toward the Avengers. But what made it even more unacceptable was who had submitted the plan.
One of the Skrull representatives.
Although public opinion had turned against the Avengers, no one had forgotten those green beings capable of infiltrating anywhere. In recent months, paranoia had grown: distrust of strangers, and even acquaintances, had become common. And if anyone was discovered to be a Skrull, they would not survive social or physical rejection.
But to everyone's surprise, the proposal was accepted days later by the president himself.
The reactions were immediate: disbelief, insults, accusations that the president himself was a Skrull in disguise. But when he explained his decision, the noise stopped instantly.
The president showed evidence. According to it, the Skrulls had influenced human development for almost a century. And the results were… terrifying.
It was not an exaggeration to say that the progress of the last century was largely due to them: from technological to mathematical and physical advances. Major problems solved, astronomical discoveries, even the Moon landing: all with their participation.
The deal between humanity and the Skrulls had been clear: humans would allow them to live among them, and in return the Skrulls would contribute their millennia of intelligence. If their existence ever came to light, the whole truth would be revealed, and those who benefited from their intelligence were expected to do whatever possible to achieve their acceptance.
The beneficiaries were not few: presidents, influential families, figures of power across the planet. With such support, the world was left in shock.
The general public, incredulous, ended up going along with it. They might not accept them wholeheartedly, but no one dared to openly express rejection.
Thus, with the plan approved, construction began on a device capable of nullifying powers.
---
"What the hell…?" Fury frowned at the official statements from almost every government about the Skrulls.
"Is something wrong, sir?" Maria Hill asked beside him.
"Of course something is wrong. What kind of crap is this?"
"Which part is false?" Hill replied, realizing the gravity of the situation.
"Rather, which part is real? The Skrulls have been on Earth for half a century, most of this is impossible."
"So the Skrulls did not help human progress?"
"Of course not. The worrying part is that they have evidence to support that version. That means they prepared it in advance. If it is just a contingency plan to get by, it is not so bad. But if it is a large-scale conspiracy… then we have a problem."
Fury did not speak aloud another of his fears: he knew the Skrulls had pushed him to rise in a few years from simple officer to director of the world's largest intelligence agency. That is why he had monopolized that advantage, keeping it only for SHIELD, so it was impossible that the Skrulls had helped all of humanity.
"Do we have anything on whoever made this public?" he asked, turning his gaze toward Hulk.
"Little," Hill answered. "No clear leads, but we believe it is linked to the hackers still fueling the crisis in Wakanda."
"Wakanda…" Fury murmured. With so much chaos in recent months, he had almost forgotten that front.
"The Avengers splitting up, the government trying to control them, Leonardo retiring, the Skrulls, Wakanda… too much has happened. And yet, everything seems connected."
"Are you saying there is a single person responsible for all of this?"
"Exactly. All the pieces depend on manipulating the masses and public opinion. Even though we do not understand why, someone is attacking the Avengers, SHIELD, and the Skrulls at the same time, with unnerving precision."
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80 power stones = 1 extra chapter (cumulative)