Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 522 Taking Control of the Situation (First Update)

"Master, I..."

Although her master had prepared a negotiation plan for her, she had never engaged in verbal sparring. Tita felt that the previous journey had been far more difficult than any battle, and only now was she beginning to recover and try to calm herself. Salomon waved his hand, stopping the somewhat flustered android from continuing, as it was obvious to everyone that Tita was emotionally unstable. He gestured for Tita to sit in a guest chair, had an invisible servant bring her a cup of hot tea, and then continued wiping his head with a towel—he had decided not to bring the ancient Antarctic bacteria into human society.

"Just submit the report to me afterward. I trust you can handle the basic tasks." He moved aside a file on the table. It was the Sorority's surveillance report on Harold Finch and John Reese; they were trying to find and contact Salomon to figure out what was going on with the Samaritan AI. However, Salomon had other things to do, so the matter was postponed indefinitely. "As for whether Agent Hill agrees to the other conditions, the situation is on our side," he said. "We don't intend to completely break ties with Nick Fury, so this mutual compromise and coexistence is the best option for him. At least, that's what he hopes for."

"She disagrees, Master."

Salomon doubted he'd heard correctly until Tita repeated herself, recounting some details of the negotiations. The basic conditions were agreed upon, but Agent Hill remained adamant on certain points—clearly, Maria Hill, or rather Nick Fury, had misjudged the situation. He wasn't a vulture, nor a hyena; he wouldn't tolerate insults or intimidation, nor would he show cowardice. He was a lion, and now it was S.H.I.E.L.D.'s turn to hunt in his shadow. Years of preparation had been to completely subdue Nick Fury. Salomon reassured Tita that this outcome was irrelevant to her, as Nick Fury had also presented Maria Hill with a proposal. This wasn't a business negotiation; there was no room for maneuver. Both sides were simply trying to figure out each other's cards.

"Have some tea and some maklings, girl," he said with a smile. "I'm going to settle the score with the guy who bullied you."

Tita smiled apologetically.

She wore the black lipstick Salomon had given her, her short, white hair swaying gently, and her eyes, identical to Salomon's, looked perfect. Salomon patted Tita's head, and like Dina, she thoroughly enjoyed this almost indulgent gesture. They were created from a quarter of the Philosopher's Stone, and like Dina, they shared a soul connection with Salomon. No matter what Salomon became, these homunculus were as close and reliable as half of his soul. Perhaps because the connection was too strong, they occasionally displayed combat abilities and intelligence exceeding the output of the Alchemy Engine; they were like reflections of Salomon's soul, only a partial reflection.

"Go play some Texas Hold'em, honey," he said. "You have a day off."

"Should the Sorority prepare for battle, Master?" Tita stood up, carefully setting down her cup before straightening her posture. "S.H.I.E.L.D. defies your orders; I believe such an organization should be completely eradicated."

Salomon smiled and sighed.

The androids' fanaticism is hard to suppress; it always seems to emerge from every corner.

“Don’t rush, Tita, everything is going according to plan. No matter what Nick Fury chooses, I have a way to steer the outcome the way I want.” His eyes gleamed. In Tita’s eyes, that gleam of anger was overwhelming. “Our target is those green-skinned, pointy-eared creatures. Nick Fury trusts them; he will gather them to serve him. We have plenty of time; a gathered Skrull is a good hunt. I assure you, your longsword will taste the blood of the Skrulls.”

"I will, Master! The Sorority will fight to the death for you!"

"Don't forget to submit the report." Salomon nodded. "It's the rule."

"Don't forget to submit the report, Agent Hill," Nick Fury said. "Although S.H.I.E.L.D. no longer exists, this secret line is its legacy, and neither Congress nor the military can find it. I need the report to take control of the situation."

"Aren't you going to tell me what to do?" Agent Hill asked, somewhat annoyed. Even though S.H.I.E.L.D. no longer existed, Nick Fury's mystical ways remained as incomprehensible as ever. "I think he might know the Skrulls' location." His usually calm tone finally rippled; Salomon was the mischievous child throwing stones. "He seems to want to kill something."

"I don't expect a cosmic Hitler to understand what I'm doing," Nick Fury said in a rhythmic, street-smart Black accent. "You just need to hold him off."

"So what?" Agent Hill said. "Do you expect me to command the Avengers to fight him?"

"Why not?" Nick Fury said.

"Are you serious?"

"No, I was just kidding, don't take it seriously. I'm still in control."

"If you can do it, there's no need for you to call me from a prepaid phone."

"Where do you think S.H.I.E.L.D. gets its data from? Prepaid phones! Who do you think promoted prepaid phones and ARPANET? S.H.I.E.L.D.!" Nick Fury tossed aside his cigarette and patted the ragged drug addict next to him. An arm covered in needle marks emerged from the tattered bedding, took the cigarette butt, and then brought it to his lips for a puff.

These drug addicts can't do drugs on the street because every street addict will be robbed and burglarized by other addicts after losing consciousness. But the guys in this abandoned building are scum who can't even afford methamphetamine; no one will rob them. They may have once been dressed in suits, but now they only have rotten teeth, incurable chronic diseases, and tragic lives of broken families. No one cares about these social outcasts. Nick Fury, with a bunch of drugs and a handgun, easily won over the addicts, who gave him a place to put his blankets.

Even though the place was teeming with used needles and fleas, it was still a good hiding place. No one would have imagined that the former director of S.H.I.E.L.D. would be holed up in an abandoned building with a bunch of poisonous insects.

The World Security Council is still functioning, but friend and foe are now unclear, and Nick Fury is fairly certain that some Hydra agents know they're not dead. He doesn't believe the US government can eradicate all Hydra parasites within the system, because Hydra is the embodiment of corrupt politics itself. He traces its influence back further, discovering that Hydra's reach extends even to Koch Industries, the second-largest privately held company in the US. Nick Fury has lost hope in the US government; in his eyes, Hydra within the US government will always exist.

You ask me why I'm updating so late?

All I can tell you is that the kitten starts meowing when it's fifteen centimeters away from me, and I can't stand the loud noise.

So I can only roll the cat up in a blanket and hold it while I write this update.

(End of this chapter)