Fury looked solemn. "Please, tell me."
"From now on, Natasha is not allowed to use her beauty as a weapon for any reason. Unless our marriage is dissolved, I will take this matter only to S.H.I.E.L.D."
Fury exhaled in relief. "Reasonable. I'll issue the order—Natasha will no longer be permitted to seduce a target as part of an operation."
Lock smiled. "Good."
That was the whole reason he'd hurried to S.H.I.E.L.D. in the first place.
He knew European and American operatives could be… uninhibited. Chastity wasn't exactly a priority. Black Widow, in particular, had perfected the art of weaponizing allure.
In The Avengers, she'd pretended to be captured by a gang of arms dealers, tied to a chair while playing the part of a helpless prisoner, only to turn the interrogation around and extract information.
But in the real world? No way a group of armed criminals would leave a woman like her untouched. In Lock's eyes, the risk was too high. And given Natasha's pragmatism, she might well endure such advances if it meant completing the mission.
Including this latest assignment—just to get close enough to assassinate a drug lord, she'd gone so far as to fake a marriage with him, sharing his bed for half a month.
Lock couldn't have stopped it before. But now? They had a marriage certificate, and the system's shared-luck bond between them. There was no way he'd allow her to use herself like that for any mission again.
Fury nodded. "Now that we've settled your concern, I have some questions of my own."
"Go ahead."
Fury's gaze sharpened. "What exactly do the Eastern Powers gain by sending someone of your strength to infiltrate the West? Aren't they afraid of triggering a superpower conflict?"
Lock blinked, but his face remained calm. "You're overthinking it. I'm just an ordinary man. If I hadn't met Natasha, I'd probably be running a small shop in the City of God."
The words only made Fury bristle. "Mr. Lock, let's not play games. I know your people look down on us—think we can't handle extraterrestrial threats. But we have an understanding: each side keeps to its sphere. And we're building our defense team for the Western Hemisphere."
That told Lock plenty. Not only did Eastern nations have superhumans, but there was some kind of pact—each guarding its half of the planet.
And it lined up with what he remembered from the movies: the Avengers mostly operated in the West, rarely straying into Eastern or Russian territory. The few times they did—like in Hong Kong—were tied to old colonial ties.
Meanwhile, the East was conspicuously quiet. Too quiet. Not because there were no supervillains, but because their protectors might be even stronger, keeping threats locked down before they ever reached the public.
Kamar-Taj lay in the Himalayas, straddling the Eastern border, its sorcery steeped in traditions more Eastern than Western. Shang-Chi's homeland of Ta Lo brimmed with mythical creatures—dragons among them—and had kept a dark, world-ending beast imprisoned for millennia.
It all pointed to one truth: the East wasn't a weak link. The West was. No wonder Fury suspected him of being an Eastern plant.
"I can assure you," Lock said carefully, "I'm not working for any nation. I'm a free agent."
That was a calculated move. If Fury thought he was government-backed, the East might deny it—and both sides might decide he was a rogue threat worth eliminating. Worse, if S.H.I.E.L.D. viewed him as an enemy, it would ruin his ability to move within the main storyline and use his future knowledge.
Fury studied him. "Seriously?"
"Seriously."
Fury relaxed. Men of Lock's power didn't usually bother to lie. According to intelligence, he'd been brought to the City of God as a child by an elder—maybe someone defecting from the East.
If he were free, could he be recruited? And if he had feelings for Natasha… well, that could make him family.
"Mr. Lock," Fury said, "interested in joining S.H.I.E.L.D.? We're forming a new team."
"The Avengers?" Lock asked.
Fury froze. "How do you know that name?"
Lock smiled faintly. "I also know it comes from Carol Danvers' fighter plane. Shame she's not here—I'd like to spar with her sometime."
Carol Danvers. Captain Marvel. The most powerful Avenger by sheer force. She'd once stood toe-to-toe with Thanos and barely budged under his blows. If the Titan hadn't ripped the Power Stone from his gauntlet to blast her away, the fight might have ended differently.
Her adventures had been decades ago, though. She could be anywhere in the galaxy now. Compared to her, Lock's powers were nothing special.
"You don't need to know how I know," Lock said. "Just understand I have no ill will toward you, and many priorities to handle. I can't join your team."
Fury believed him. In last night's battle, even the Hulk hadn't gone out of his way to save civilians. Lock had—pulling people from danger one by one. That wasn't the mark of an enemy.
"Then how about a compromise?" Fury offered. "Work with us as a consultant. No standing orders—just step in when things get bad, like last night."
Lock considered. Fury added, "You'd be free to call on us for help with your problems. And… it'd be easier to stay in touch with Natasha."
That last part tipped the scales. Without S.H.I.E.L.D., tracking Natasha down would be next to impossible.
"All right," Lock said, "but I have a few conditions."
"Name them."
"First—five million dollars up front."
"Five million?!" Fury nearly jumped out of his seat. "This isn't a bank! At most… half a million."
"How's that enough? I promised Natasha a home. You can't buy much on that here."
"It's more than enough—S.H.I.E.L.D.'s budget is stretched thin. We have payroll, tech—"
"Then request more. Hiring someone like me should be worth an increase."
"It's still not five million… and you wrecked a lot of our tanks last night. Those cost money—"
The haggling went back and forth until they settled on three million. Future missions would be paid based on difficulty.
Satisfied, Lock left with a handshake deal. Fury watched him go, hiding a pleased smirk. Three million for a powerhouse who might marry into S.H.I.E.L.D.? Bargain of the century. The Hulk alone had caused far more damage over the years.
Lock hadn't needed the full five million anyway—he'd asked high to settle somewhere in the middle. Three million would cover his immediate plans: buying a home and funding the underground lab Dr. Stern was already helping him design.
As soon as Lock was gone, Fury opened a secure channel.
A holographic projection of Natasha appeared before him.
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A/N: New Fanfic Is Out "I'm A Bit Different Naruto"
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