Nick Fury was not surprised in the slightest when Nolan Locke said something like that.
In fact, Fury was not even sure whether Nolan would truly go that far.
From the arrogant genius Tony Stark to Thor, the god of thunder from Asgard, Fury had dealt with countless superheroes. The reason he had managed to remain Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. despite stirring up so much trouble over the years was simple. He understood people.
He understood their minds, their fears, their ambitions.
That was how he managed to keep the Avengers, a group of wildly different personalities, firmly under control. Combined with his political maneuvering, it allowed him to stay where he was.
But Nolan Locke was different.
Fury could not see through him.
In Fury's eyes, Nolan was a man of endless variables, someone impossible to pin down. He did not even like acknowledging Nolan as a superhero, because the more he learned about Nolan's rise, the clearer the truth became.
That path had been soaked in blood.
To this day, Fury did not know how many people had died at Nolan Locke's hands.
Nolan's ruthlessness had made Fury consider eliminating him more than once.
And yet, at the same time, Nolan seemed to possess an unusually firm moral line.
Even Fury had to admit that Nolan Locke had contributed more to this world than almost anyone else alive.
After all, Nolan had nearly single-handedly reshaped an entire era.
The title "Hero Nolan" might have started as self-promotion, but now it was globally accepted. That fact alone was terrifying.
Would he really start a war?
Once something crossed into war, even if the target was only Carol Danvers, the consequences could still engulf all of New York.
Fury, who had witnessed Nolan's technology time and time again, had no doubts about that.
In the end, staring at Nolan's calm expression, Nick Fury backed down.
"Danvers, let's all cool off. Fighting is not the best way to resolve this," Fury shouted, making sure his voice carried.
Carol Danvers frowned slightly.
"Fury, you should understand that sometimes war is the best solution. Maybe once Nolan Locke sees what real war looks like, he will finally learn respect."
Motherf
Fury cursed inwardly, but he still forced himself to continue.
"But we are not at that point yet. Danvers, we need to talk."
Seeing the seriousness on Fury's face, Carol hesitated. Finally, she slowly descended to the ground.
She walked toward them, the violent energy around her gradually fading. Each step she took radiated dominance, as if she had never once doubted that she herself embodied justice.
A laughable kind of justice.
Nolan smiled.
It was hard to believe that someone could be so confident, so overbearing.
It was truly a rare sight.
Carol glanced at Nolan and said coldly, "Nolan Locke, this isn't over. I will never allow anyone to trample on justice."
With that, she turned away without sparing either of them another look and shot into the sky, leaving only a cloud of dust behind.
"I have never seen such a damnable woman," Nolan said aloud without restraint.
Nick Fury's expression darkened as well.
Decades had passed, and Carol Danvers was even more domineering than she used to be.
Still, he showed none of it on his face.
"Mr. Locke, about that document…"
Before Fury could finish, Nolan let out a short laugh.
"Maybe you should try letting her come again."
With that, Nolan turned and walked away.
Nick Fury?
Who was that supposed to be?
The moment Fury brought Carol Danvers into this, Nolan knew it was a move specifically aimed at him.
And now, after all that, Fury still wanted Nolan to play nice?
The fact that Nolan had not slapped him already was proof of remarkable restraint.
He walked back into what had once been his villa. At this point, it no longer resembled a home at all.
Nolan sighed. He had expected this, but it was still a place he had lived in for a long time.
With a thought, he leapt into the air. The low-thrust jet system of the Mjolnir Armor ignited, propelling him toward New York.
"Director, what do we do now?"
An agent glanced at the ruins Nolan had left behind, along with the scattered wreckage.
Nick Fury's eye flickered.
He was tempted.
These were Locke Technology's true trump cards. Even one of those black energy rifles that forced Danvers to dodge was enough to make his skin itch with desire.
But before he could act, a group of recovery drones emerged from beneath the steel fortress, swiftly collecting every piece of mechanical debris.
Fury gestured for an agent to grab one of the black rifles.
The moment the agent touched it, every recovery drone raised its weapons.
They might not have been frontline combat units, but that did not mean they were harmless.
Staring down multiple gun barrels, the agent swallowed hard.
Just then, a young girl walked out from the underground base.
She looked delicate, with bright eyes and a sweet smile. Despite walking through the wreckage of a battlefield, she showed no discomfort at all.
Seeing her, Nick Fury felt a wave of tension rise in his chest.
He had seen her before.
"Mr. Fury, these are Mr. Locke's private assets. If anyone attempts to steal them, Red Queen is already fully prepared."
The girl gave a polite, graceful bow.
Red Queen.
Fury suppressed his shock.
So this really was Red Queen, not a projection.
"Of course. We will always respect private property," Fury replied without hesitation.
Today, he had learned a great deal.
Locke Technology, once an enigma even to him, had finally lifted its veil. Beneath it lay something far more dangerous than he had anticipated.
Trouble was brewing.
The more he saw, the more wary he became of Locke Technology.
Perhaps his instincts had been right all along.
At least Carol Danvers, despite not acting exactly as he had hoped, had still shown Nolan that S.H.I.E.L.D. possessed top-tier combat power.
That was deterrence.
With that deterrent in place, Fury could breathe a little easier.
Everything was under control.
His single eye gleamed once more.
Elsewhere, Nolan had already returned to the Hive Base.
Today's events had given him a clearer understanding of Carol Danvers.
That woman.
One day, he would make her understand exactly who she was dealing with.
Jessica Jones' easygoing nature. Sharon Carter's pride. Skye's energy.
He had so many capable and interesting women around him.
And then there was Carol Danvers.
Damn.
That single word summed up Nolan's opinion of her perfectly.
Back at S.H.I.E.L.D., Phil Coulson immediately noticed that the Director was in a foul mood.
Just as he was about to leave, Fury spoke.
"Coulson. What were you going to say?"
Coulson smiled awkwardly.
"Director, I wanted to ask about equipment upgrades. With the rise of artificial intelligence, our agents are under more pressure than ever. We need better gear."
The world was advancing, and the AI era Nolan had ushered in brought undeniable benefits.
But criminals evolved as well.
And S.H.I.E.L.D.'s enemies were never ordinary criminals.
Even setting Hydra aside, casualty rates had been climbing steadily over the past two years. Upgrades were no longer optional.
Fury considered this before asking, "What about Oscorp's equipment?"
"They've developed a fairly promising exoskeleton support system."
"I know about it," Coulson replied, "but honestly, most agents still trust Locke Technology more. Their products have been tested in real combat."
Fury's face darkened.
Perfect timing. Twisting the knife when it already hurt.
But Coulson was right.
Fury knew perfectly well that Locke Technology was the best option.
The problem was whether Nolan would seize the chance to bleed S.H.I.E.L.D. dry.
"Director?" Coulson prompted.
"I've noted it," Fury said. "For now, let's try Oscorp's equipment. They're a long-established military contractor. Their quality should be reliable."
"All right," Coulson sighed.
Privately, he began thinking about how to redirect that equipment elsewhere. He did not want his team testing unproven gear.
"How is the mutant creature situation progressing?" Fury asked suddenly.
Coulson's expression turned serious.
"We've increased manpower, but we still haven't found whoever is creating them. Our losses are heavy."
Fury tapped his fingers against the desk.
Since last year, S.H.I.E.L.D. had been tracking a strange new type of creature. Incidents involving them kept appearing.
At first, he suspected leftover Chitauri technology from the Battle of New York.
Plenty of alien weapons had gone missing, destabilizing society.
But later, new evidence emerged.
Those creatures bore similarities to Abomination's cells.
That led Fury to a disturbing possibility. Someone was secretly researching Abomination.
Since then, S.H.I.E.L.D. had been locked in a silent struggle with an unseen enemy.
Losses mounted. Meanwhile, the creatures only grew more refined.
"Send in more people," Fury said.
He could not afford mistakes here.
Coulson nodded.
Let's hope Oscorp's weapons are up to the task.
Those monsters were no joke.
Somewhere in a lightless facility, horrifying roars echoed without end.
In one corner, a man worked feverishly. Before him, a grotesque half-human creature was restrained by massive steel clamps.
"No. I still need something more."
Excitement burned in his eyes.
The research was nearly complete.
…