"I suppose you've run into something you can't handle," Jon remarked, leaning back on his bed with a sly smile. "Messed around with things better left untouched, and now there's an alien invasion on the way. So you want to assemble a group of enhanced individuals to handle it, right?"
"We're doing it to save the world, not just one country," Nick Fury replied, unamused.
"Sure, Fury, but it always seems to come back to your interests first, doesn't it?" Jon quipped, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Fury decided not to take the bait. "Look, you're right, Jon. We're in a tricky situation here. The Avengers Initiative has been shelved for decades. Today, the world needs people who fit the bill more than ever."
Fury gestured dramatically as he continued, "We've got a playboy in a metal suit who thinks he's untouchable, a hero frozen for seventy years trying to find his place, a big guy who turns green when he's angry, and... you, a hellfire-wreathed rider with a motorcycle."
"hellfire-wreathed rider?" Jon frowned, then smirked. "Is that the new code name you've cooked up for me?"
"We thought it was better than 'Flaming Skeleton.' A bit childish, don't you think?" Fury retorted.
Jon gave a half-shrug. "Fair enough. But 'Ghost Rider' sounds way cooler, don't you think?"
"So you'll join us then?" Fury raised an eyebrow.
Jon shook his head immediately, reclining back on his bed. "Nope. Not a chance. I just don't want you people coming up with lame names for me."
Fury exhaled slowly. He was prepared for Jon's resistance, but it didn't make his job any easier. "Jon, listen, this world is more complicated than you think," Fury said in a measured tone.
But Jon just smirked. "Nah, Nick. It's more complicated than you think."
Jon's reply caught Fury off guard. He frowned as Jon continued, "You went and fished the Tesseract out of the ocean. You thought you could control it. But by doing that, you basically sent an open invitation. If you'd just left it alone, maybe Loki wouldn't even be here."
The mention of Loki's name made Fury's eye widen in shock. "I never mentioned that name. How do you know about Loki? How much do you actually know?"
"More than you," Jon replied flatly. "And I'll tell you something else—go ahead with your Avengers plan. You don't need me for this fight, and you'll still be able to handle the situation. So spare me the recruitment speech."
Fury opened his mouth to say something, then thought better of it. He sighed, realizing Jon wouldn't budge. Without another word, he turned to leave, preparing to head out the window the same way he had entered. But this interaction only heightened Fury's suspicion. The deeper he looked into Jon, the more mysterious and impenetrable Jon seemed. In a world with Norse gods, super soldiers, and genius inventors, Jon was still the most enigmatic.
For the first time, Fury felt he might be dealing with someone who knew more about the universe than he did.
"Oh, Fury," Jon called out as the man prepared to climb out of the window.
Fury paused, turning his head. Few people dared to call him like that.
"Word of advice," Jon said, an almost dangerous edge to his voice, "Don't trust anyone in S.H.I.E.L.D. except your inner circle—Coulson, Romanoff, Barton, Hill. The rest of them, keep your eyes peeled. When S.H.I.E.L.D. started, you guys picked up a lot of so-called 'talent' from Hydra. Who knows how many of those seeds are still growing?"
Fury stiffened. He stared at Jon, processing the implications of what he'd just heard.
"I'll keep that in mind," Fury said quietly, before disappearing into the night.
"Why didn't you join him? Didn't you say you wanted those Stones? You could get closer to them if you were part of the Avengers," Alessa's voice suddenly rang in Jon's mind, her tone full of curiosity.
"You don't understand," Jon responded. "For someone like me, with no backers and no powerful connections, joining the Avengers is like signing a deal with the devil. It's a one-way ticket to being S.H.I.E.L.D.'s lapdog."
Jon recalled how Tony Stark, with his wealth, and Thor, with his Asgardian background, managed to keep some semblance of freedom. But others, like Bruce Banner, were constantly watched, their movements controlled.
S.H.I.E.L.D., while less hostile to powered individuals compared to, say, the military, still enforced a leash. They offered protection but demanded control in return. And Jon was in no mood to be anyone's attack dog.
"Besides," Jon added, "You sound way too soft these days, Alessa. Aren't demons supposed to thrive on chaos and death?"
"I only cared about getting revenge on those from Silent Hill," Alessa replied coldly. "After that, I lost the purpose for destruction. What about you, though? Where do you stand? You're not some righteous hero, are you? You've killed just as much as I have."
Jon laughed softly. "There's no such thing as purely good or purely evil people, Alessa. Look at Tony Stark. Sure, he's a hero now, but he's a capitalist, a former war profiteer. He's got more blood on his hands than most villains. Thor? He's a warrior and prince—his hands are far from clean. And Cap, well, maybe he's done okay so far, but even he's made his share of mistakes."
"I'm no hero. I'm more like Frank Castle—the Punisher. I punish those who deserve it. And sometimes, I help people. But I choose who's worth saving. That's all there is to it."