The roar of the convertible's engine echoed through the Los Angeles night as Su Zhan pulled up near an old, graffiti-covered van parked by a worn-down café.
He checked the photo on his phone—an online image of a girl with messy brown hair, a bright smile, and curious eyes that seemed to hide a thousand secrets.
Skye. Hacker. Rising Tide member. Future S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Future powerhouse.
Su Zhan grinned. "Time to say hello to destiny."
He got out of the car, leaned casually against the hood, and waited. He didn't have to wait long.
A few minutes later, the café door opened and a young woman stepped out, sipping from a paper cup. She wore a loose gray hoodie and jeans, looking like any other underpaid techie in L.A.
Except this one was destined to shake the world—literally.
"Skye," Su Zhan called.
The woman froze, instantly alert. Her eyes darted to him. "Uh, do I know you?"
"Not yet." Su Zhan smiled, holding up a phone. "But I know you. Rising Tide hacker, three-time breach into S.H.I.E.L.D. databases, once traced the New York alien invasion footage before it got scrubbed."
Her jaw dropped. "Okay, wow, creepy. Who the hell are you? S.H.I.E.L.D.? FBI? Some guy with too much free time?"
"None of the above." He slipped his phone into his pocket. "Let's just say I'm… someone who appreciates your work."
"Right," she said, edging back. "You know, that's exactly what serial killers say before they—"
"Relax." He laughed. "If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't be talking this much."
That didn't help.
Su Zhan sighed, shaking his head. "Listen, Skye. I'm not your enemy. In fact, I think we're going to be on the same team soon."
"Team?" She frowned. "What team?"
He grinned. "S.H.I.E.L.D."
She blinked. "You're joking, right? The super-secret government agency that blackbags people for hacking them? That S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
"That's the one."
Skye crossed her arms. "You have a funny definition of 'same team.' They're going to kill me if they catch me."
"Or recruit you," Su Zhan countered. "Trust me, they're about to form a new team. One that handles the weird stuff—the kind of stuff you've been chasing online. They're going to need someone with your skills."
"And what, you're their recruiter?"
"No," he said, smiling faintly. "I'm just… ahead of schedule."
She stared at him for a long moment, trying to decide if he was insane or dangerous—or both.
Finally, curiosity got the better of her. "Okay, suppose I believe you. Why tell me this? What's in it for you?"
Su Zhan's smile deepened. "Because you're important, Skye. And because when that team forms… I'll be there too."
Later that night, Su Zhan sat in his hotel room, looking out over the city. His laptop was open, displaying a map of S.H.I.E.L.D. facilities, encrypted files, and names he recognized from the timeline—Phil Coulson, Melinda May, Leo Fitz, Jemma Simmons.
He leaned back in his chair, sipping a glass of red wine. "Everything's falling into place."
The Extremis Virus had given him strength, regeneration, and control over fire. But in the Marvel Universe, power alone wasn't enough. He needed connections, access, and information.
S.H.I.E.L.D. was the key.
His system had confirmed his progress earlier that day:
[Main Quest: The Path of Kings – Phase 1 Complete]
Acquired Power: Extremis Virus (Perfected Form)
Next Objective: Obtain Secondary Power through Affiliation with S.H.I.E.L.D.
Perfect timing.
Of course, he wasn't naïve. He knew S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't all sunshine and freedom. Hydra lurked in its core like a serpent waiting to strike. But that didn't matter. Su Zhan didn't intend to be their pawn—he would use them.
"First, join," he muttered. "Then grow. Then… reign."
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. He glanced through the peephole—and smiled.
"Wow," Skye said from the hallway, biting her lip nervously. "I can't believe I'm doing this. You said you had proof about S.H.I.E.L.D., right?"
"Of course. Come in."
She stepped inside cautiously, eyes darting around the luxurious room. "Okay, you're definitely not broke. So what's your deal?"
"Like I said," Su Zhan replied, closing the door behind her, "I'm someone who knows things. Things that are about to happen."
"Right, and I'm Beyoncé," she said flatly.
"Then sing for me."
Skye blinked, then laughed despite herself. "You're insane."
"Maybe," Su Zhan admitted. "But I'm not wrong."
He projected a holographic image from his phone—S.H.I.E.L.D.'s upcoming field recruitment report, Coulson's classified resurrection file, and a mission brief labeled Project Centipede.
Skye's jaw dropped. "How did you—? This is top-level S.H.I.E.L.D. clearance!"
"I told you," he said calmly. "I know things."
Her expression shifted from disbelief to awe. "You want me to help you get into S.H.I.E.L.D.… don't you?"
"I want us to get in," Su Zhan corrected. "You'll join as a hacker. I'll join as… a consultant. Once we're inside, we'll have access to every classified metahuman project S.H.I.E.L.D. has ever touched."
"That's insane."
"That's opportunity."
For a long moment, Skye said nothing. Then, slowly, she smiled—the kind of smile that could only come from someone who had spent her life chasing impossible things.
"You know what? Fine. Let's do it. But if this gets me killed, I'm haunting you."
"Deal," Su Zhan said with a grin.
As Skye sat down beside him, looking at the files in wonder, Su Zhan's eyes flickered with satisfaction.
Everything was unfolding exactly as planned.
The King System chimed softly in his mind.
[Side Quest Unlocked: Recruit Key Individuals for the King's Faction]
First Recruit: Skye (Potential Evolution: Quake)
Reward: +1 Ability Slot, +10 System Energy.
Su Zhan leaned back in his chair, smiling.
"Welcome to the team, Skye."