"Rumlow, you're sure there's no mistake in your report?"
Nick Fury sat in his office, eyes fixed on the document, his expression grave. He didn't glance up at Rumlow once.
Perhaps keeping his head down hid his emotions better.
"Yes, sir. This is what I witnessed firsthand. I wouldn't falsify it."
Rumlow maintained his usual nonchalant air. He knew submitting this report would put him under heavier scrutiny from Fury.
But that hardly mattered anymore.
"Angels and demons? This world keeps surprising me."
Fury avoided mentioning the Supreme Sorcerer, his mind racing.
"So, can I go?"
Rumlow's attitude grew bolder. After witnessing Bul-Kathos' power, his perspective on worldly matters had shifted.
He was eager to dismantle Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D., to stand on Harrogath's Sacred Mountain and pursue his own ideal.
Pure, unyielding justice appealed to him far more than raw power.
"Go, Rumlow."
Fury still didn't look up, lost in thought.
As Rumlow left, Fury's mind churned through recent changes within S.H.I.E.L.D.
Unidentified enemies appearing out of nowhere, a mess of complications—all tied to Rumlow's trip to that mountain.
Even Rumlow's growing connection with Dum Dum Dugan had deepened since then.
These weren't coincidences.
Coulson's report on the blacksmith shop had detailed Bul-Kathos' past.
Fury had dismissed it as a lie—until now, faced with this report of angels and demons.
The world was full of people with strange abilities, but encountering angels and demons was a matter demanding attention.
It meant humanity wasn't alone on this planet, growing in isolation as they'd believed. From the beginning, they'd been watched by forces of theology, slowly developing technology under their gaze.
Fury didn't deny the Church wielded mysterious powers, but he'd always assumed they were just another form of superhuman ability.
Even with vampires, werewolves, and mummies in the Howling Commandos, he'd never imagined Heaven and Hell could be this formidable.
The office was empty, save for Fury, piecing together the connections.
Knock, knock, knock.
The door sounded, followed by Agent Hill's voice.
"Director, we need to talk."
"Come in."
Fury tucked away the report, adopting his usual dour expression.
"What exactly are you planning?"
Hill's hand rested on her holstered gun, ready to aim at Fury.
"What? You know something I don't?"
Fury watched as Hill shut the office door. Facing her guarded stance, he leaned back in his chair, ready to hear the reason for her hostility.
"I understand you, but you've never trusted anyone. So, I'm suspicious of you too."
Hill kept her distance, standing within a range she could control for attack or defense.
She knew if a fight broke out here, she likely wouldn't beat Fury.
But some things had to be done, even if they seemed impossible.
Fury barely reacted to her challenge.
He'd never fully trusted anyone, so he didn't expect unconditional trust in return.
Even now, he clutched an outdated pager beneath the desk.
"So, what did I do?"
Fury's curiosity piqued. Why was Hill confronting him like this?
"Are you Hydra?"
Hill hesitated but finally blurted it out.
Fury couldn't hold it together anymore.
"Motherfucker, do you even hear yourself?"
He exploded like a cat with its tail stepped on.
He'd thought Hill had uncovered some shady move, like siphoning funds for safehouses. But this?
"Don't move!"
As Fury started to rise, Hill's gun snapped up, aimed at his head.
That eyepatch made a perfect bullseye.
"How could you think I'm Hydra?"
Fury froze, wary of Hill firing.
This body was just a Life Model Decoy, but he couldn't let it die branded as Hydra.
"A lot of important people are doubting you."
Hill spoke vaguely, avoiding specifics. Naming her source would be foolish, but her words already narrowed Fury's suspicions.
She watched his reaction, hoping to gauge his truthfulness.
Though not Fury's most trusted ally, as the World Security Council's liaison, she'd spent more time with him at S.H.I.E.L.D. than anyone.
She'd memorized his habits, even his unconscious tics.
What she'd learned from Dugan was only a fraction of the puzzle.
It heavily implied suspicions about Fury.
Yet Hill didn't believe Fury acted like a Hydra agent. Instead of reporting to the Council, she'd set a timed email to auto-send and confronted him here.
Her judgment led to this cautious approach.
"So, I'm the slowest to catch on."
Fury took a deep breath, then continued, "I'll tell you this: I'm not Hydra. But now I know who the enemy is. That's good news.
Keep it quiet that I know. I'll stay exposed in S.H.I.E.L.D., baiting Hydra to make a move."
Fury spoke slowly, as if a plan was already taking shape.
"Nick Fury, until your name is cleared, I won't let you out of my sight or allow you to act freely."
Hill's words were firm, but her tension eased slightly.
She planned to adjust the email to send only if something happened to her.
S.H.I.E.L.D. had the tech for that.
Despite her training, Hill chose to trust Fury.
(Chapter End)
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