As a direct agency under the World Security Council formed by the five great powers, S.H.I.E.L.D. possesses immense authority.
Especially for other countries beneath the five powers, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s rights often surpass those of their own law enforcement agencies.
As for within the five powers?
That's going too far.
As soon as the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent entered the license plate number into the system for search, relevant information was quickly retrieved one by one.
The owner of the license plate, the owner's driving information.
In less than a few seconds, Gwen Stacy's photo elegantly appeared on the S.H.I.E.L.D. big screen.
"Send it to Natasha."
"Understood."
"Ding-dong!"
Natasha heard the ringtone of her phone, glanced at the photo just sent.
In sight.
A sweetly smiling picture of Gwen instantly caught her eyes.
"Director, it's her."
"Hmm."
Nick Fury nodded indifferently, "Search her network, find any information about Hawk."
The S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent almost started the search simultaneously as Nick Fury spoke.
But...
No Hawk social account.
No Hawk social photos.
No Hawk driving information either.
Aside from related text introductions, there was no other information.
Nick Fury slightly frowned.
"Looking for the wrong person?"
"Shouldn't be."
The S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent quickly turned to Nick Fury, "Based on our search through Gwen Stacy's network, the only connection is a Hawk, male, seventeen years old, who, like Gwen Stacy, is also a twelfth-grade student at Midtown High School in New York. According to social accounts of other Midtown High School students, this Hawk is seemingly dating Gwen Stacy."
Nick Fury spoke in a low tone.
"No photo of him?"
"...No."
The S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent, fearing any oversight in his work, re-searched, then confirmed, "Director, this Hawk has no social account online, logically speaking, he should already have a driver's license at seventeen, but there's no related record in New York's vehicle management system."
Goodness gracious.
What kind of atypical high school student is this?
Nick Fury marveled inwardly.
The next second.
He chuckled.
"Has Gwen Stacy's information been confirmed?"
"Confirmed, Gwen Stacy, born on May 21, 1995, father George Stacy, New York Police Department..."
The S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent immediately retrieved Gwen Stacy's detailed information.
But before he could report it all, he was interrupted.
Nick Fury didn't wait for the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent to finish and directly instructed.
"Notify the New York S.H.I.E.L.D Combat Command Center, let them..."
"Wait a minute!"
Just as Nick Fury ordered to notify New York S.H.I.E.L.D for action, Maria Hill, standing aside, quickly interrupted and frowned at Nick Fury, who was issuing orders as quickly as firing a gun, "Director, what are you doing?"
Nick Fury looked at Maria Hill.
"He needs control."
"We don't even have his information right now."
"So we're sending people now..."
"No."
"What?"
"I disagree."
Maria Hill and Nick Fury's single eyes locked, she said sternly, "I disagree with acting rashly before we understand this Hawk's information."
What a joke.
The other party can kill Hulk's existence, acting without thorough investigation—what is this wanting to achieve?
To provoke such a powerful enemy for S.H.I.E.L.D.?
Hawk may have killed Hulk.
But...
In Maria Hill's view, it is controllable if Natasha's report is accurate.
The other party killed Hulk for revenge.
Then not killing Natasha and Bruce Banner shows the other party is principled.
Being principled is good.
Principled means there's a bottom line, and a bottom line implies maybe the other side isn't from the justice camp, at least being in the neutral camp.
If we go charging ahead like Nick Fury suggests, wouldn't that clearly stir up trouble, creating a powerful enemy for ourselves?
Therefore...
Maria Hill firmly disagrees with Nick Fury's opinion.
"We should first investigate clearly, then send agents to make contact."
"Contact?"
Nick Fury's single eye glimmered, "Hill, he killed Hulk, our Hulk, this is provocation, on this alone, strict control is necessary!"
Speaking.
Nick Fury looked at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent again.
"Notify..."
"I said no!"
Maria Hill looked blankly at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents rising up to face them from not far away, she said calmly, "I am currently the Deputy Director of S.H.I.E.L.D and the Operational Commander of S.H.I.E.L.D., without my order, all actions against Hawk are prohibited."
The S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents exchanged looks, then seemingly realizing something, responded one after another.
"Yes."
"Director Fury."
Maria Hill then looked seriously at Nick Fury beside her and said in a deep voice, "Don't forget, your ban hasn't been lifted by the Security Council. Before it's lifted, all decisions of S.H.I.E.L.D. need to be made by me."
Indeed.
Nick Fury was grounded by the World Security Council.
The reason is simple.
Who told Nick Fury to violate the orders of the World Security Council? Did he really think there wouldn't be a price to pay for defying the wishes of the five major powers?
The New York battle earlier this year, the decision to launch a nuclear missile, was a joint resolution made by the World Security Council and was initially assigned to S.H.I.E.L.D. for execution.
But what happened?
The S.H.I.E.L.D. under the control of the World Security Council, even the Director, took the lead in defying their decision, and even went so far as to personally take down a S.H.I.E.L.D. fighter jet.
Goodness gracious.
The Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. shot down a S.H.I.E.L.D. fighter jet.
What was he trying to do?
Rebel?
So, even though the final outcome was good, the World Security Council viewed Nick Fury as blatantly disloyal.
As the saying goes.
Loyalty that's not absolute is absolutely disloyal.
The Council's initial decision was to directly fire Nick Fury, sweep him out as an example to others, to warn S.H.I.E.L.D. that S.H.I.E.L.D. belongs to the Council, not the other way around.
But someone pleaded for him.
It helps that Nick Fury's old friend, Alexander Pierce, is one of the five council members.
To keep Nick Fury from being fired and cast out, Alexander Pierce spoke on his behalf, persuading the other four members to change their minds, eventually deciding to suspend Nick Fury's operational permissions, during which Deputy Director and Chief of Operations Maria Hill would act in his place.
As for when Nick Fury's operational permissions would be reinstated.
Ha.
In a word.
Depends on the results!
And so far, the Security Council hasn't unfrozen Nick Fury's permissions, so even though he remains Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., right now, Nick Fury is just a mascot, a figurehead.
He can still participate in all S.H.I.E.L.D. affairs, can observe, can speak, but has no authority to make any decisions.
Listening to Maria Hill's words, Nick Fury realized.
But...
Nick Fury spoke in a deep voice: "Doing this will show our weakness to the enemy."
Maria Hill frowned slightly, just as she was about to speak, when suddenly a surveillance photo popped up on the big screen.
The S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent was taken aback, instinctively glanced at the source of the information, then brightened up, turning to look at Maria Hill.
"Ma'am."
"Speak..."
Maria Hill turned to look and noticed the surveillance photo on the big screen: "Where was this found?"
"It was just uploaded online, released by New York University as part of next year's scholarship freshman announcements, and Hawk is one of them. I cross-referenced the photo through the system."
"Where is this?"
"Quantico!"
The S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent spoke while his hands moved like he was dancing, as the first photo appeared, more photos were retrieved soon after.
Images of Hawk, caught by Quantico Town's surveillance, were projected onto the big screen.
At the same time.
Natasha, who had been staying quiet during the dispute between the S.H.I.E.L.D. Director and Commander, confirmed: "Ma'am, identity verification complete."
Maria Hill looked at the photo of Hawk wearing a hat, found through Quantico's town surveillance system, and frowned slightly.
"When was this?"
"July 5th"
"..."
Maria Hill, registering the date, frowned again, then seemed to recall something.
If she remembered correctly, on that day, something major happened in Quantico.
The Quantico Military Base fell into chaos.
Indeed.
The information was confirmed.
Surveillance shows that during the day when the Quantico Military Base erupted into chaos, Hawk appeared on the monitors, but after the chaos began and onward, he was no longer captured, and then his registration information appeared in Maryland.
So...
Assuming no surprises, the turmoil at Quantico Military Base is likely connected to Hawk.
Nick Fury, hearing this information, then looked at Maria Hill: "A suspect who disregards the military, provokes them, and killed dozens of soldiers that night, the Chief still insists on contacting first?"
Maria Hill stared at Nick Fury, expressionless: "If Director Fury disagrees with my decision, he can petition the Security Council."
Saying that.
Maria Hill ignored Nick Fury and issued orders to the working agent.
"Continue."
"Yes."
"..."
Seeing this, Nick Fury's single eye flashed, then he turned and left the Combat Command Center.
The next moment.
Back in his office, Nick Fury pulled out his phone and dialed the number of the friend he had called out of concern during the chaos at the base.
The ruckus at the Quantico Military Base.
The brazen murder of a member of the S.H.I.E.L.D Avengers Alliance.
This is no ordinary crime.
A powerful response is necessary.
In a word.
Hawk must be controlled!
Under his oversight!
...