Within S.H.I.E.L.D., every field agent was normally equipped with a positioning and monitoring device during missions. The device served two purposes. It allowed headquarters to observe the mission's progress, and it also ensured that agents could be located and rescued immediately if something went wrong.
After ending the call with Phil Coulson, Nick Fury immediately pulled up the positioning monitor connected to Coulson's device. Although he couldn't physically see the scene, the collected data gave him a fairly clear understanding of what had happened.
Two pieces of information immediately caught his attention.
First, the target possessed some form of supernatural ability. Natasha Romanoff—Black Widow—was one of the most elite operatives under his command, yet she had been subdued without even the slightest chance to fight back.
Second, the target seemed to know an alarming amount about S.H.I.E.L.D.
Nick Fury had survived this long as director precisely because he was extremely cautious. He rarely placed himself in danger unless absolutely necessary. However, after weighing the situation carefully, Fury ultimately decided to meet Ethan Blake in person.
It wasn't only because Coulson and Romanoff were valuable agents.
It was because Ethan Blake knew too much.
And that made Fury deeply uneasy.
…
"So, Agent Coulson," Ethan said while leaning back comfortably in his chair, "how's the salary for a Level 8 S.H.I.E.L.D. agent?"
Coulson sighed with exaggerated weariness.
"Not great," he admitted. "Honestly, it's about the same as your FBI's D2-level salary. There are barely any benefits, and the leave request I submitted two months ago still hasn't been approved."
Natasha, sitting nearby, crossed her arms.
"I'm only Level 7," she said dryly. "That means my situation is even worse."
Ethan nodded sympathetically.
"If that's the case, you might consider switching careers," he suggested. "The FBI's New York office would gladly welcome you. Starting salary at D2 level, and I guarantee you'll get so many vacations you'll get sick of them."
"Oh?" Natasha said thoughtfully. "That's actually worth considering."
At that moment, a deep voice suddenly spoke from behind them.
"Phil Coulson. Didn't you say you were captured? You still have time to chat?"
The moment Coulson heard the voice, he nearly jumped out of his seat.
"Di—Director!"
Coulson suddenly had the urge to slap himself.
Why had he been so honest on the phone earlier? Now there was absolutely no chance he would get approved leave anytime within the next six months.
Nick Fury stepped into the room, his single eye fixed on Ethan.
"So," Fury said coldly, "you're the one who wanted to negotiate with me?"
"Of course," Ethan replied calmly. "Two of your best agents were captured by me. Aren't you planning to redeem them?"
"Your conditions," Fury said directly.
"The position of Director of the FBI's New York field office," Ethan answered without hesitation.
In truth, the position meant almost nothing to him now. But he was tired of seeing that annoying superior—Davis—strutting around every day while technically being Ethan's boss.
Fury thought for only a second.
"Fine," he said. "But I have a question first."
"What's the question?"
"Why do you know so much about S.H.I.E.L.D.? Who told you?"
Fury stared at Ethan intently.
Ethan raised two fingers and pointed them at his own eyes.
"These eyes," he said slowly, "can see the past, the present… and the future."
He leaned back slightly.
"If I want to, I can see every secret in this world."
Fury's gaze gradually sharpened.
"How do you prove that?"
Ethan smiled faintly and looked straight at him.
"For example," he said casually, "you have a special pager that—"
"STOP."
Fury cut him off instantly.
His face had turned noticeably darker.
Years ago, before leaving Earth, Captain Marvel had given Fury a special quantum pager so he could contact her if the planet ever faced a catastrophic threat. Afterward, she departed Earth—and Fury had never told anyone about that device.
No one on Earth should have known about it.
Yet Ethan had mentioned it as if it were common knowledge.
Coulson and Natasha exchanged silent glances. They didn't know what the pager was, but they had never seen Fury look this uncomfortable before.
Both of them silently decided to forget this conversation ever happened.
Seeing Fury fall silent, Ethan continued speaking.
"To be honest," he said calmly, "your organization claims to protect the world and thinks it contributes a lot."
He shrugged.
"But in my opinion, S.H.I.E.L.D. is the most useless organization of the bunch."
Fury's eye narrowed.
"Asgard protects Earth from extraterrestrial threats. Kamar-Taj guards against invasions from other dimensions. Meanwhile, S.H.I.E.L.D. leaks information like a sieve and still spends all day worrying about everything else."
After a moment of silence, Fury suddenly asked, "You defeated Natasha Romanoff using that supernatural ability?"
"No," Ethan replied casually. "That was a different ability."
He shrugged again.
Most of the time, the best way to make others cautious around you was to demonstrate strength openly.
"What are Asgard and Kamar-Taj?" Fury asked.
"You'll learn when the time comes," Ethan said with a mysterious smile. "Sometimes knowing too much isn't a good thing."
Fury stared at him for several seconds before asking another question.
"What about Tony Stark? Do you know where he is?"
"Of course I do," Ethan answered.
"Then tell me."
"Why should I?"
Ethan raised an eyebrow and looked at Fury with an expression that clearly said information had a price.
Fury understood immediately.
"What do you want?"
Ethan paused and thought for a moment.
Originally, he had no intention of interfering with Tony Stark's situation. Only by surviving the kidnapping would Stark transform from a careless billionaire playboy into Iron Man.
And before his transmigration, Iron Man had always been Ethan's favorite superhero.
Changing that path could create unpredictable consequences.
But now the situation had changed.
Tony Stark had already been missing for two months, and the Mark I armor was probably almost finished. Whether Ethan intervened or not, Stark's escape would happen within the next few days.
And now that Nick Fury had personally come knocking, there was no way Ethan was going to let such a perfect opportunity slip away.
....
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