"What is wrong with you?"
The next day, Nick Fury called, his voice filled with frustration. "Did you seriously meet with my agent in the middle of the night? Do you have any idea how many rules that breaks?"
"Wait a second—are you saying Agent Romanoff wasn't acting under your orders when she came to see me?"
"Why on Earth would I authorize such an incredibly dangerous individual to meet with my agents without clearance?" Fury shouted. "What exactly did you tell her?"
"Well, first, tell me this—has Agent Romanoff defected?" Solomon narrowed his eyes, his fingers idly rubbing the ring on his hand.
"No! She was heading out for another mission yesterday! She's one of my most trusted agents!" Fury sounded livid, clearly thrown by the revelation that Romanoff had met Solomon without reporting back. "What was her objective? And what did you tell her?"
Now it was clear to Solomon—he had been played. Romanoff's visit wasn't sanctioned by Fury; it had been her own initiative. Everything she'd said about the Tesseract had been a ruse. "She didn't say much," Solomon replied calmly. "And what I said to her is already written in the message I sent you. Don't tell me you haven't looked at it."
Fury was silent for a moment before responding. "You've figured it out, haven't you? About Project Pegasus."
"I know a bit," Solomon said slowly. "I understand your intentions are good, but using a particle accelerator to bombard the Tesseract is a remarkably unwise move." As he spoke, Solomon replayed last night's conversation in his mind. Romanoff had partitioned her thoughts so effectively, seamlessly switching emotional states, that Solomon couldn't discern her real motives. At the time, he had assumed she was acting under Fury's orders and hadn't bothered using "Detect Thoughts." It was possible he had inadvertently shared something she wanted.
"You've already caused enough trouble for Kamar-Taj, Fury," Solomon warned, knowing his words wouldn't have much effect. "I don't oppose your experiments, but if you create an even bigger mess, we won't stand idly by—and trust me, that's a scenario you don't want."
"You, of all people, should understand my position, Solomon," Fury countered. "I've always seen you as a warrior fighting for humanity. Do you think we stand any chance against the Asgardians? Let alone the Hulk—he's a walking nuke!"
"Oh, Earth isn't as helpless as you think. Asgard can't do as they please; there's mutual deterrence in play," Solomon replied. "And as for the Hulk, well, I have ways to deal with him too."
"…"
"…"
"Regardless, advancing humanity's technology is a top priority," Fury said quickly, as if to move past the awkward moment. He silently cursed himself for forgetting that Solomon was never one to follow a script.
"Fair enough."
"That's why I'm researching the Tesseract," Fury continued. "You mentioned deterrence, and I'm guessing that's in Kamar-Taj's hands, isn't it? What I want is something humans can control—power that can stand up to Asgard."
"Possible." Deep down, Solomon doubted that any government could responsibly wield such power. The world's political systems, mired in populism and entrenched hierarchies, weren't suited for handling this kind of technology. Its misuse could have catastrophic consequences.
Moreover, such closed-box technologies could stifle innovation. Scientists would spend excessive time patching gaps left by hastily developed advancements. Only a step-by-step approach, like Tony Stark's meticulous process, could truly benefit humanity.
"If you think the current methods are unsafe, can you provide a safer one?" Fury asked. "And while we're at it, tell me about the trouble you've encountered. Who knows, maybe I can help."
"Haven't you already enlisted Erik Selvig? Let him continue his research. I've been to your base—get rid of that particle accelerator before you blow the continent to smithereens." Solomon lounged on the sofa, accepting a cup of hot tea from Bayonetta. Tea without milk but with sugar had become a family tradition, though Bayonetta didn't mind experimenting with Solomon's preferences. Jeanne, meanwhile, opted for milk with her breakfast—she was an elementary school teacher enjoying a rare weekend off.
Bayonetta casually leaned against Solomon, a sight that made Jeanne bristle with envy.
"As for trouble, it's all your doing. Remember those extra-dimensional bacteria I showed you? That was just a minor issue, but every single person in that base has at least one of them parasitizing their brain." Solomon sipped his tea, his tone matter-of-fact. "Keep an eye on your employees' mental health. I can't guarantee those bacteria won't lead to depressive episodes."
"Anything else?"
Solomon heard the sound of a pen scratching against paper—Fury must be jotting down notes.
"The rest falls under Kamar-Taj's jurisdiction. The number of demons and angels hunting souls in the ethereal plane has been rising, and you have no idea how many we've encountered in the shallow ether. That's on you, Fury."
"Me?"
"Yes, your experiments attracted them. Don't bother denying it—do you really think you can escape the Ancient One's calculations?" Solomon sighed, setting down his cup. "And there's one more thing—about Natasha Romanoff."
Bayonetta suddenly sat upright, a black leather whip appearing in her hand out of nowhere. The whip ended not in a slender cord but in a flat, rectangular piece of leather about three fingers wide. Jeanne, thrilled, summoned a similar whip of her own. Solomon had no idea where the witches got their strange habits, but this was supposed to be a serious conversation.
Waving his hands to calm them down, he continued, "I think I've figured out what Agent Romanoff wanted. Don't worry; it's nothing that compromises security."
"How would I not know about it?" Fury asked. "Are you hiding something from me?"
"This is the kind of topic that's easier to discuss with a non-intelligence operative," Solomon replied. "Agent Romanoff doesn't strike me as someone who would expose her vulnerabilities. It seems she trusts me to a certain extent, but since she's your agent, whether or not to let me handle this is your call."
Fury was silent for a moment. Meanwhile, the two witches stared intently at Solomon, who blinked innocently in return. Bayonetta, showing patience, gestured for Jeanne to put down her whip and let Solomon finish.
"She… you must ensure this task doesn't violate the following conditions:
1. It must not endanger the security of any nation.
2. It must not threaten the lives of ordinary people.
3. …"
After a lengthy debate, Fury and Solomon finally reached an agreement. Once the call ended, Solomon still had to deal with the witches' interrogation.
"I told you, I deeply respect Miss Romanoff," Solomon sighed. "She has the courage to sacrifice herself for her comrades, one of humanity's greatest virtues. That's why I want to help her."
"Help with what?" Bayonetta asked.
"Helping her have a child."
"Oh, Solomon, you're such a naughty boy!" Bayonetta didn't hesitate to draw her pistol.
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! Only $5 per novel or $15 for all!!] [[email protected]/Mutter]