"Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him."
The pastor spoke solemnly from the pulpit, his words echoing through the sparsely filled church. Below, a few attendees dressed in black sat scattered on the pews. Among them was Audrey, a cellist, seated alone, her surroundings vacant. She knew no one here and wouldn't have even known about the funeral if a certain young man she had once met hadn't informed her.
"Why did you invite her?" Natasha whispered to Solomon in a tone that carried mild reproach. "Do you realize how easily this could blow everything wide open? What if she wants to see the body? It's an empty casket!"
"How was I supposed to know SHIELD wouldn't even bother with a wax figure?" Solomon muttered, clearly on the defensive, but unwilling to concede outright. The small group attending the funeral included Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, seated on another pew. Stark, ever the perfectionist, had ensured everyone was dressed in perfectly tailored black suits, much to Solomon's relief as it gave him a break from his usual tailcoat.
"And Stark and Rogers being here doesn't bother you?" Solomon whispered back.
"Stark and Rogers wouldn't make such requests, but how could we say no to Coulson's girlfriend? You can't just wave it off with an excuse about the body's condition!" Natasha glanced at the white-haired girl seated next to Solomon. The girl, clad in a daring black slit dress and thigh-high boots, drew more than a few stares. That's not something normal people wear to a funeral, Natasha thought. The outfit looked like it would fail at the slightest movement, and the girl's eyepatch only added to the enigma.
"Who is she? She's not in SHIELD's database."
"She's my homunculus, my assistant. I brought her to see if she could pass the Turing test. Don't say anything," Solomon replied, lowering his voice.
"This is a funeral," Natasha hissed, incredulous. "And you've brought an artificial intelligence here? What on Earth are you thinking?"
"It's a fake funeral. And it's an empty casket! Also, this isn't AI—it's an alchemical artificial life form."
"I don't care what you call it. This is a church! I may not be religious, but I respect those who are."
"Well, I'm not. If God himself appeared before me, I'd probably flip him off and ask why he likes to mess with people!" Solomon's response was accompanied by a soft huff. Before Natasha could retort, he deftly changed the subject. "And SHIELD couldn't even spring for a choir? Tight budget, huh?"
"This entire arrangement was Maria Hill's doing," Natasha shot back. "Coulson doesn't have close family, and Melinda May is about the only real friend he had. That's her over there," Natasha nodded toward another pew. "You probably saw her on the Helicarrier. If it weren't for the mess you stirred up with Fury, he'd be here too, and the funeral would've been a proper affair."
"Then we couldn't whisper like this," Solomon replied, straightening up. Despite the informal nature of the event, his demeanor shifted to one of solemnity, as the only people privy to the truth were himself, Natasha, and Maria Hill. Coulson's condition had stabilized following Solomon's spell, but the long delay between his death and revival raised unsettling questions.
Drawing on Kamar-Taj's extensive library, Solomon had explored various theories of the soul. The most enduring beliefs posited a connection between memory and soul—without memory, there could be no soul. This aligned with Kamar-Taj's practices, which often involved astral projection and further reinforced the link between intellect and spirit. Yet Solomon remained uneasy.
The GH-325 serum couldn't possibly retrieve a soul from beyond without external intervention. If Coulson truly revived, what exactly had come back?
Mephisto.
The name struck Solomon like a hammer, his expression darkening. Could Mephisto have returned Coulson's soul? If so, for what purpose? With Kamar-Taj monitoring lower-plane incursions so closely, had the demon managed to slip in another avatar?
"You don't look well," Natasha murmured, noticing Solomon fidgeting with the third button on his suit. "Will you be joining the reception later?"
"Of course," Solomon replied. "But first, I need to send a message."
He resolved to inform the Ancient One about his concerns. His assumption that Coulson's revival was purely the result of GH-325 had overlooked the possibility of dimensional interference. That oversight could not be ignored.
The pastor's sermon concluded, transitioning to speeches from friends and loved ones. With no close family, Audrey stepped forward to recount her first meeting with Coulson, including a mission involving enhanced individuals. Her candid recounting, despite its classified nature, felt like a subtle act of rebellion against SHIELD.
After the ceremony, Stark and Rogers approached Audrey to console her. Though neither had met her before, they praised Coulson's character and sacrifice. As their slightly awkward exchange ended, Solomon approached with the white-haired girl in tow.
"Master," she said before anyone else could speak. Her voice was melodic but eerily devoid of emotion. "You were going to introduce me, weren't you?"
Who is this? Stark's curious glance asked the question Rogers seemed to share. But Stark, recognizing the outfit he had custom-made for Solomon's project, quickly deduced the answer. Solomon, however, subtly signaled Stark to hold his tongue.
"This is my assistant, Dinah," Solomon said, gesturing toward the girl. "Dinah, this is Tony Stark and Steve Rogers."
"Pleasure to meet you," Rogers said politely, though he quickly pulled Solomon aside.
"You brought a civilian to this?" Rogers' tone was stern, his protective instincts clearly activated.
"She's no civilian. She's my assistant," Solomon replied nonchalantly. "And I'll bet you $100 you can't beat her in an arm-wrestling match."
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