Carol Danvers's behavior struck Nolan as a little strange, but he did not dwell on it. It had little to do with him anyway.
He had no intention of getting any closer to her.
Considering his own broad-mindedness, and the fact that there was no direct conflict of interest, Nolan felt he could tolerate those minor grievances from before.
After all, the pleasure he gained from an investment was never proportional to what he put in.
He was a businessman.
Profit always came first. At least in this matter, he could remain completely rational.
Unfortunately, his peace did not last long.
"Nolan, I've received some information recently."
Tony Stark sat inside Nolan's office.
At that moment, the entire office had been sealed off. Even Sharon Carter was barred from entering.
This was perfectly normal.
Nolan had never forgotten that Sharon Carter also carried the identity of a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.
Even if her current stance was ambiguous, that was hardly a reason to lower his guard.
"What is it?" Nolan asked, puzzled.
"We might be in trouble."
Tony Stark's expression was grim, which surprised Nolan.
Given Tony's pride, there were very few things in this world that could make him take a matter so seriously.
Tony continued, "You still remember that monster you fought alongside Bruce a few years ago, right?"
"Abomination? Of course I remember," Nolan said, nodding.
That battle had made his name.
It was after that fight that the title 'Hero Nolan' truly spread.
It also marked his transformation from a weapons dealer seen as immature by many into a rising power in his own right.
"Why bring this up?" Nolan asked.
"Through S.H.I.E.L.D., I obtained some intel. Three days ago, Captain Marvel handled an abnormal incident. At first, I didn't think much of it."
Tony paused before continuing.
"But subsequent intelligence suggests it wasn't that simple. It was a monster extermination operation, and the target was a creature very similar to Abomination."
Nolan frowned.
Abomination.
He had not expected things to circle back to that name.
"Abomination is dead. I'm absolutely sure of that," Nolan said.
He had killed Abomination with his own hands.
Tony did not argue. Instead, he said calmly, "Which means we missed something. I suspect…"
His expression darkened further, and his voice dropped.
"The military may have restarted research related to Abomination."
Nolan shook his head.
"That's normal. Honestly, I never believed research on Abomination ever truly stopped. The hawks won't pass up any method of strengthening their power, even if it comes with massive risks. Still, the military isn't stupid."
As he spoke, a possibility flashed through his mind.
"Compared to that, I think it's more likely that a private individual is conducting the research."
Abomination.
Even Nolan felt a headache coming on.
Previously, Abomination had seemed easy to deal with.
But that was because he had just been born, and he had already fought the military and the Hulk before facing Nolan.
He was far from his peak.
If it had been a fully matured Abomination, Nolan's strength at the time might not have been enough to handle it, at least not so easily.
More importantly, Abomination was born from Hulk cells.
So what exactly was the researcher studying? Abomination's cells, or the Hulk's?
Abomination's cells might have limited potential.
But Hulk cells carried infinite rage and limitless growth.
"Samuel Sterns…"
Nolan murmured the name.
Back then, he had actually forgotten about this man.
Samuel Sterns was no ordinary figure.
If history had not changed, the events of that night would not have affected only Abomination.
Sterns had not gained overwhelming physical power, but he had gained something else.
A grotesquely enlarged brain.
That brain granted him intelligence hundreds of times greater than before.
That was terrifying.
Researching Hulk cells was difficult for most people, but for Samuel Sterns?
He had already studied Hulk cells for years, and now possessed intellect far beyond his former self.
"You're right," Nolan said slowly. "We're in trouble. Big trouble."
He emphasized the last words before continuing.
"No matter who is researching Abomination, our only option is to eliminate the danger while it's still in its infancy. We absolutely cannot let it erupt.
"If Abomination reappears, the entire world could be at risk, and we wouldn't even know what kind of monster we're facing this time."
He looked at Tony.
"Tony, I need you to use Ultron to conduct a large-scale data sweep across New York. No, not just New York, the surrounding areas as well. We need to locate any possible enemy presence. I'll have Red Queen begin her investigation at the same time."
"Understood. I'll inform the others," Tony said, nodding.
That was precisely why he had come to Nolan.
This was also a coordinated action by the Watchers.
They were no longer just the two of them. Bruce Banner and Dr. Hank Pym had already been brought into contact as well.
Compared to their earlier small circle, this four-person alliance could exert far greater influence.
After Tony Stark left, Nolan let out a helpless sigh.
"Red Queen, search for individuals resembling Samuel Sterns. Pay special attention to abnormal cranial size, possibly far larger than normal."
Samuel Sterns.
A memory from long ago.
Still, it was only a possibility, and not a very likely one.
If Sterns were still alive, how could he have remained hidden until now?
Compared to that, something else demanded Nolan's attention more.
He took out a spirit orb.
It brimmed with energy, streams of dazzling, multicolored power swirling endlessly inside.
This orb was one of the most important items he had brought back from the Spider-Man universe. The multicolored energy within it was a manifestation of the multiverse itself.
It was nearly full.
Nolan sighed inwardly.
This thing was extremely dangerous. The energy it contained was enough to wipe out an entire city.
There was an easy solution. He could hand it over to the Ancient One for disposal.
She could even send him traveling across the multiverse, so dealing with this would be trivial for her.
But he did not want to.
This was an opportunity to understand the multiverse.
Even though he knew this might have been the Ancient One's intention all along, he could not deny that he was tempted.
Putting the orb away, Nolan temporarily set the matter aside.
This was not the time to worry about it.
Soon after, Sharon Carter walked in.
"Boss, are we working overtime tonight?"
Nolan shook his head.
"No. I want to head back early and get some rest."
Sharon looked surprised. In her memory, Nolan rarely did such a thing.
Just as she was about to leave, Nolan spoke again.
"Sharon, wait a moment. We'll leave together today."
Her heart tightened.
"What are you planning?" she asked, her gaze flickering.
Nolan laughed.
"What, do you think I'm some kind of big bad wolf?"
At that, Sharon immediately straightened her posture, her proud figure making her stance clear.
"A wolf? During my agent training, I killed plenty of wolves."
"That sounds terrifying," Nolan remarked dryly.
"Just wait, then," he said. "You'll see."
Looking at Sharon, who still seemed slightly uneasy, Nolan added, "Relax. It's not like I'm going to eat you."
"I'll wait outside," Sharon said, lifting her chin as she walked out, as if the nervousness from earlier had never existed.
They were located in Locke Tower, in the heart of New York City.
Nolan often stayed at the Hive laboratory, but the newly completed Locke Tower was his primary workplace.
Night had fallen.
As the weather warmed, Sharon's thick uniform had been replaced with a lighter spring and summer version.
Back then, Nolan had given her a rather provocative uniform.
Now, she seemed completely accustomed to it, no longer shy or awkward.
Despite its revealing appearance, it actually revealed nothing at all.
Strangely, what was meant to look seductive now gave her an air of sharp, heroic confidence.
As they walked together, Nolan glanced at her a few times.
Sharon grew uneasy and instinctively covered the sliver of pale skin at her chest.
"You've seen it for this long already. Like this is anything new," she snapped.
Her face darkened.
"Boss, has anyone ever told you that you're a real jerk?"
"Of course," Nolan replied indifferently. "In fact, I've heard far worse."
He even looked slightly pleased with himself.
Then he suddenly said, "It just occurred to me that my villa still isn't finished. I might end up sleeping on the streets."
"Heh," Sharon sneered, unmoved.
"So cold-hearted," Nolan said.
Then he continued, "Putting that aside, do you know what Nick Fury has been up to lately?"
"I'm an agent," Sharon bristled like an offended hedgehog.
"Of course. A double agent, at that. I'm well aware," Nolan replied.
At his words, Sharon suddenly felt deflated.
"Probably nothing special," she said weakly.
What a joke. She was an elite agent trained by S.H.I.E.L.D., yet she had somehow ended up like this.
"Have you heard about the mutated monsters?" Nolan asked.
Sharon answered listlessly, "Mutated monsters? I think I heard the director mention it. But it's already been dealt with.
"I heard, just rumors though, that Captain Marvel handled it herself. Even though the mastermind wasn't found, all the monsters were wiped out. There shouldn't be anything to worry about in the short term."
Under the moonlight, their elongated shadows stretched across the ground.
Something flickered past them.
Nolan's eyes narrowed.
An illusion?
No.
With his current mental capacity, he would not mistake illusion for reality.
Something was nearby.
…