S.H.I.E.L.D. Aircraft Carrier
The "Oasis" press conference had concluded, but none of the Avengers had left the carrier. They all remained, waiting. The atmosphere was heavy with uncertainty.
Nick Fury stood at the head of the briefing room, his face darker than storm clouds. He had called Hill the moment he learned about her appearance at the event—expecting betrayal, expecting her to ignore him. To his shock, she answered. There was no hesitation. No guilt in her voice. Just a single, chilling sentence:
"Wait for me to come back."
That simple phrase made Fury pause. It was enough to stop him from immediately dispatching agents to bring her in. The Fantastic Four and Ant-Man, who had all witnessed the events unfold on-screen, chose to stay as well. No one could walk away. Not until they got answers.
After all, Joseph Hill wasn't just any agent.
He was a Level Nine officer of S.H.I.E.L.D., the current commander of the Helicarrier.
A figure of stability.
Rarely did he involve himself in field missions, and even less with Mutants. His status should have kept him far removed from this web of controversy. So how?
How did Joseph Hill rebel?
The night dragged on in silence.
Suddenly, as the first light of dawn broke through the clouds, a voice buzzed through the intercom:
"Commander Hill has returned!"
The tension in the room thickened. No one stood, but all eyes turned toward the door.
Moments later, Hill walked in.
He was dressed casually, devoid of military uniform or any sign of distress. But as he stepped into the meeting room, he could feel the shift in energy. Eyes locked on him with suspicion, confusion... betrayal.
Joseph scanned the room, then turned toward Nick Fury. His expression was calm—unshaken.
"Director, I have an important report to deliver."
Before he could continue, Nick's voice cracked like a whip.
"Before that—shouldn't you explain why you appeared at the Oasis conference? Weren't you on vacation?"
Fury rarely lost composure, but this situation hit too close to home. Hill wasn't just any agent—he was Fury's right hand, privy to nearly all the secrets of S.H.I.E.L.D., including the ones they never wanted exposed.
If those secrets leaked, it could destroy them all.
Hill merely smiled, raising a hand. Wind elements gathered around him, forming a small vortex in his palm.
"Just like Mr. Gray said," Hill spoke, referring to the Oasis' mysterious developer, "I learned this in the game. I was selected as part of the Pioneer Experience Program."
A beat of silence.
"Impossible!"
Captain America stood abruptly. "I also received an Oasis bracelet. I trained hard in those simulations. Sure, I gained experience, but no one walks away with real powers!"
This wasn't the first time they'd argued about Oasis' legitimacy.
Every logical conclusion pointed toward a hoax—or worse, a coordinated propaganda campaign from Mutants to mislead the public.
Magic? It was absurd.
But Hill was undeterred. He turned to Steve.
"You don't have to believe it. But among the hundred people chosen alongside me, not a single one was a Mutant. What we learned wasn't a superpower... it was magic."
"Magic?"
The word rang out in disbelief.
Fury's expression froze. Images flashed in his mind—Lynn conjuring impossible phenomena at the conference. He had dismissed it as tricks. But now?
"So... Lynn can really use magic?"
"Yes," Hill confirmed. With a wave, the wind dissipated. "And magic is not a gift; it's a science. A knowledge-based system. In Oasis, any player with the aptitude can learn it—and bring it into reality."
The room sat in stunned silence.
The Fantastic Four looked at one another, eyes wide. Ant-Man blinked as if he misheard. For the agents present, the very foundation of their worldview was cracking.
Superpowers or sorcery—it didn't matter. What mattered was that "Oasis" was no longer just a game.
It was a training ground for the extraordinary.
Fury's jaw clenched.
"So because you gained magic... you chose to betray S.H.I.E.L.D. and follow Mr. Gray?"
Hill's face turned solemn. "I never betrayed S.H.I.E.L.D.!"
His gaze swept across the room. "But I no longer believe that we should treat Mutants as ticking time bombs. Our duty is to protect Earth, not to be its jailers. Why do we obsess over Mutants, while ignoring threats far beyond our planet?"
A second time—Hill had publicly opposed Fury.
This wasn't subtle disagreement. This was open challenge.
Hawkeye and Black Widow exchanged glances. They remembered Hill raising concerns in the past, but this—this was different. He was defiant now. Firm.
"When Loki invaded, S.H.I.E.L.D. was nearly obliterated. Did that not teach us anything?" Hill asked. "We're not strong enough. Not yet. The Avengers alone are not enough."
He leaned forward, voice sharper now.
"Do you remember Loki's army—the Chitauri? They attacked Earth, but we never saw their commander. Not once. What does that tell you?"
No one answered.
"It tells us that their true power hasn't even arrived yet. That invasion was just a test. And we barely survived it."
A heavy truth lingered in the air.
Even Steve Rogers, Hawkeye, and Natasha found themselves nodding ever so slightly.
Fury, however, was unmoved.
"I've known this. That's why I've been building more superpowered teams. Reed Richards. Susan Storm. Scott Lang. These people represent our progress."
His voice dropped.
"But Mutants are different. Lynn is different. He doesn't just want power—he wants to rewrite the rules. You attending that press conference proves it. Don't you understand what he's trying to do?"
Fury's voice rose to a crescendo.
"If everyone becomes superpowered—there will be no order left! No peace! Chaos will consume the world!"
He slammed a fist into the table.
"Lynn and his Mutants may not be launching war now, but they're preparing for it! Open your eyes!"
The room echoed with his fury.
Hill took a long breath.
"You're right that Mutants growing unchecked can be dangerous. Just like the President thought when he authorized those nuclear missiles."
Everyone stiffened.
That incident... five nuclear warheads launched toward human cities. A black mark on their record. An act that nearly shattered the country's moral authority.
And now Hill was bringing it up.
"But those were guesses. Possibilities. Lynn has done nothing to provoke us. He's built schools, created opportunities, and yes—he's shared magic. He hasn't started a war."
Fury shot back.
"And you think letting our guard down is smart? We know next to nothing about the new Xavier's Institute or these 'new X-Men'!"
Hill didn't flinch.
"And yet, if I hadn't learned magic myself, S.H.I.E.L.D. wouldn't even know that these one hundred people aren't Mutants at all. They're magic-users."
Fury's eyes narrowed. "What... are you saying?"
Hill smiled slightly.
"I've infiltrated their inner circle. I've secured information. You now have an inside source in the most advanced organization on Earth. Shouldn't that matter?"
Everyone went silent.
Even Fury looked momentarily unsure—before he chuckled bitterly.
"Don't tell me you're an undercover agent now. Don't insult my intelligence, Hill."
It was laughable. Ridiculous.
"You think you can deceive me with that? Years of service, and now you expect me to believe you're secretly working for us this whole time?"
Hill stood his ground.
"Believe it or not, I'm submitting a formal proposal to buy Oasis landing equipment. Every agent in our secret service division will begin training inside the system. If any of them learn magic, we'll have our own enhanced force—loyal to S.H.I.E.L.D."
Fury laughed again. "You think you're still in charge? Still the commander of this carrier? If not for our history, I would've stripped your rank right now."
But before he could finish, Hill interrupted:
"With all due respect, Director... it's not your decision to make."
The room froze.
"What did you say?"
Hill turned to the others—Captain America, Hawkeye, Black Widow—and finally looked Fury in the eye.
"All of my current actions were authorized directly by Secretary-General Evelyn Shaw."
Dead silence.
Fury's single eye widened in disbelief.
The rest of the room? Shocked.
Stunned.
Terrified.
Joseph Hill wasn't working under Fury anymore. He was operating under orders from the World Security Council's highest authority.
When?
How?
Who is he really working for?
Fury's heart sank. Whether it was Evelyn Shaw or Lynn or someone else—Hill had stepped out of his shadow. And now, he held the key to a new kind of power.
Magic.
A power S.H.I.E.L.D. no longer fully controlled.
And maybe... never did.
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