As the World Security Council's direct agency jointly established by the Five Powers, S.H.I.E.L.D. wields enormous authority.
Especially in countries under the Five Powers, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s jurisdiction often supersedes local law enforcement.
As for within the Five Powers themselves?
That's another story.
Once the agents fed the plate number into the system, results began popping up in seconds.
Vehicle owner, driving record—
and within moments, Gwen Stacy's photo filled the main screen.
"Send it to Natasha."
"Yes."
Ding-dong!
Hearing the alert, Natasha glanced at her phone and opened the newly received image.
Onscreen—
Gwen's sweet, smiling face.
"Director, that's her."
"Mm."
Nick Fury gave a cool nod. "Map her network. Find any 'Hawk' connected to her."
The analysts were already querying as he spoke.
But…
Hawk's social account—none.
Hawk's photos online—none.
Hawk's DMV record—also none.
Beyond a few textual mentions, there was nothing.
Fury frowned.
"Wrong person?"
"Unlikely."
An agent turned in his chair. "We built the graph from Gwen Stacy's connections. The only 'Hawk' tied in is this one—male, seventeen, a senior at Midtown High in New York like Gwen. From classmates' public posts, he and Gwen appear to be dating."
Fury's voice dropped.
"No photo of him?"
"…None."
Worried he might have missed something, the agent re-ran a sweep before confirming, "Director, this Hawk has no social presence. At seventeen he should have a learner's permit at least, but there's no DMV record in New York."
Good grief.
What kind of atypical high schooler is this?
Fury thought, then smiled thinly.
"Gwen Stacy's data's confirmed?"
"Confirmed. Gwen Stacy, born May 21, 1995. Father George Stacy, NYPD…"
The agent pulled up Gwen's dossier—but didn't get far.
Fury cut him off.
"Alert the New York S.H.I.E.L.D. ops center. Have them—"
"Hold it!"
Before Fury could finish, Maria Hill—standing at his side—stepped in, brows knitting at the director who issued orders like gunshots. "Director, what are you doing?"
Fury looked at her.
"He needs to be contained."
"We don't even know who he is yet."
"That's why we deploy—"
"No."
"What?"
"I don't agree."
Hill met his single eye head-on. "Until we understand who Hawk is, I won't authorize a rash operation."
Are you kidding?
This is someone who killed Hulk. Charging in blind is how you manufacture a deadly enemy for S.H.I.E.L.D.
Yes, Hawk killed Hulk—
But—
If Natasha's report is accurate, it was an act of vengeance.
He spared Natasha and Bruce Banner—that suggests he has principles.
Principles mean a line he won't cross. Maybe he isn't on the side of "good," but at least he's not overtly hostile—he's neutral.
Following Fury's plan and barreling in would be picking a fight with a powerhouse for no reason.
So—
Hill refused, flatly.
"We investigate first. Then we send an operative to make contact."
"Contact?"
Fury's single eye flashed. "Hill, he killed Hulk—our Hulk. That's a provocation. On that alone he requires strict control."
He turned back toward the floor.
"Notify—"
"I said no."
Expressionless, Hill addressed the agents who had half-risen at Fury's order. "I'm Acting Deputy Director and Tactical Commander. Without my authorization, no operations targeting Hawk."
The staff looked at one another—then seemed to remember something, answering in unison.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Director Fury."
Hill faced Fury again, voice firm. "Don't forget—the Council hasn't lifted your suspension. Until they do, S.H.I.E.L.D. decisions go through me."
Yes—
Nick Fury was under a World Security Council sanction.
Reason? Simple.
He defied a Council order. Did he think crossing the Five Powers came without consequences?
During the Battle of New York, the nuclear launch was a Council decision, initially handed to S.H.I.E.L.D. to execute.
And the result?
Under Council supervision, the Director himself led the disobedience—he even shot down a S.H.I.E.L.D. jet.
Good job.
The Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. shooting down a S.H.I.E.L.D. aircraft.
What's that, mutiny?
So even though the outcome was "good," to the Council, Fury's spine looked… unsubmissive.
As the saying goes: if loyalty isn't absolute, it's absolutely disloyal.
At first they wanted him fired as an example—remind S.H.I.E.L.D. who owns whom.
But someone spoke up for him.
Fury's old friend Alexander Pierce happened to be one of the five Councilors.
To keep Fury from being ousted, Pierce talked the others down. The compromise: suspend Fury's operational authority and have Deputy Director and Commander Maria Hill act in his stead.
As for when that suspension ends?
Heh.
In a word: results.
To date, the Council still hadn't thawed Fury's clearance. He remained Director in title—but functionally a mascot, a figurehead.
He could sit in, he could talk—but he couldn't decide.
Fury took in Hill's reminder and recalculated.
Still—
"You're signaling weakness to our enemies," he said darkly.
Hill frowned, ready to reply—when a surveillance still abruptly popped onto the big screen.
The analyst blinked, checked the source, then brightened and turned to Hill.
"Ma'am."
"Report."
Hill looked up—and focused on the image. "Where did you get this?"
"Just uploaded online—NYU announced next year's scholarship admits. Hawk's on the list. I pushed the photo through our index."
"Where is this frame from?"
"Quantico."
As he spoke, the analyst's fingers danced, and more frames rolled in.
Shot after shot from Quantico's town cameras captured a figure in a cap—Hawk—projected onto the wall.
At the same time—
Still on the line, but keeping quiet during the leadership spat, Natasha confirmed: "Identity matches, ma'am."
Hill studied the capped figure.
"When?"
"July fifth."
"…"
Hill frowned at the date—and something clicked.
If she remembered right, something big happened at Quantico that day.
The Quantico military base went haywire.
Indeed—confirmation followed.
Cameras showed Hawk in town during the day. Once the base erupted, he vanished from coverage. The next time his records pinged, they were in Maryland.
So—
Barring surprise, Hawk was tied to the Quantico incident.
Fury seized on it and turned to Hill. "A man who flouts the military, provokes open conflict, and killed dozens of soldiers that night—and the Commander still wants 'contact'?"
Hill met his gaze, face unreadable. "If Director Fury disagrees with my decision, you can appeal to the Council."
With that—
She ignored him and addressed the floor.
"Continue."
"Yes, ma'am."
"…"
Fury's eye glinted. He turned and left the command center.
Moments later—
Back in his office, he pulled out his phone and dialed an old friend—the same one he'd called to "check in" when the base erupted.
A man who rampaged through Quantico.
Who laid hands on a S.H.I.E.L.D. Avenger.
This wasn't petty crime.
It demanded a heavy hand.
In short—
Hawk must be brought under control.
Under his control.
…
(End of Chapter)
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